Another Online Shopping Scam

We have seen a scam alert posted by Facebook user Joan Ter who is a victim of an online shopping scam.

Please beware of the scammer. As extracted from the Facebook post:

Hi All,

DO NOT buy anything from the seller holding bank account no. 073-27352-8.

PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE ON YOUR FB PAGE TO PREVENT OTHERS TO FALL INTO HIS/HER TRAP !!! THANK YOU
...
This happen on myself on 02 Sept 12, I've ordered a luggage from Hong Gadget. Till now I still haven't received the item and I'm blocked from his/her FB right after payment was done. After few of my friends trying to help me to PM him/her, my friends was blocked as well and he/her change her FB name to Sumiko Gadget.

We spread the picture around and today we found out that he/her created another FB account to con buyers. I add Loewe Sim as friend after I suspect he/she is Hong/Sumiki Gadget coz all the pictures of the items are 100% similar from Hong/Sumiko Gadget. Immediately he blocked me. So I ask my friend (which is already in his new FB account) to purchase an item and ask for bank account number for payment.

And confirm that he is the same person who con me. I have already made a police report, I hope those who have conned by him/her will also make a police report and have this person nab!

Fake Policeman Scam

We have received a blog comment a couple of months ago regarding a phone scam. Sorry for not posting this up earlier because it has gone into the spam list automatically.

Fraudster Threatening Sex crime: I received a mail to call a number 9350 2840. The call got cut and received obscene message soliciting pros. I replied asking for identity and later a stupid scamster called from 85870482 stating that he is a cop and I need to meet him at jurong west police station. He said some guy having no 85958031 and complained about me because i messaged her daugher (mob9350 2840). I knew I did not msg anything wrong still he called me.
I subsequently searched this number in the internet and i found a link that this guy/guys has/have been threatening many people link:http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/82692175
These miscreants should be punished. Please suggest a way to post this link to police anonymously to help fellow singaporeans to face these kind of cheap crooks

Do note that the mobile numbers of the tricksters may change. We hope you will just remember that there is this kind of trick and not fall for it in future.

Gold Jewellery Scam

We have received an email from one of our visitors regarding gold jewellery scams in Singapore. She is currently residing in Europe having spent several years living in Singapore.

Below is the original email, unedited:

I am submitting this report in the hope that I can help others to avoid a particularly well-executed gold jewellery scam which I fell victim to.

Whilst living for several years in Singapore I decided that I would have individual items of white and yellow gold melted down and made into just two pieces. All of my items had sentimental value to me, having been given to me as Birthday / Christmas / Anniversary gifts, but I felt I did not wear them enough and that if they were re-made into just two bangles then I probably would wear them on a daily basis.

Before taking them to a jeweller, I photographed all of the items and weighed them (one of the photographs actually shows some of the items on the scales, being weighed). I then separated the white gold and yellow gold into two envelopes and took them to De Silva Jewellers, 01-18 Tanglin Shopping Centre. I had used De Silva on earlier occasions for small repairs and as he seemed to be a well established and reputable jeweller I took my items to him and asked if he could melt them down and remake them into two bangles of my own designs. I explained that they were all of sentimental value and that I did not want to sell them but felt happy with the idea of having them re-modelled.

He made notes and sketches of the designs I wanted and weighed my gold and issued receipts recording the individual items and their corresponding weight and we agreed a price for carrying out the work (total S$2000).

Over the following weeks I visited De Silva several times to discuss my exact requirements and to ensure that he understood exactly what I wanted him to do, and eventually he informed me that the bangles were ready for collection and I was happy with the design and fit of both and especially happy that they had been made from my original pieces which were of sentimental value to me.

Several months later I popped into De Silva with my husband as he wanted to buy himself a gold chain and whilst there I glanced in a glass display case and to my surprise and shock saw three of my original white gold pieces being offered for sale. How could this be? I had in my possession a white gold bangle made from these very pieces by De Silva. When I challenged De Silva he became very agitated and said that it was normal practice to keep some pieces for re-sale and this was how he made his profits (I would have thought S$2000 would have covered his profits very nicely).

At this point I felt very distressed and left his premises. I then sent De Silva an email communication informing him that I wanted the return of my original pieces and to remove them from his display cabinet immediately and that if I did not hear from him by return I would make a report to the Police. I then returned to his premises and asked for the items. At first he said he no longer had them, then that he had sold them, and finally that if I returned 30 minutes later he would give them back to me.

I did not trust him to keep to his word, so went straight to the Police Office and filed a report. The result of this was that the police confiscated the pieces De Silva had kept and said they would investigate.

Because of what had happened, I looked out my photographs and notes including weights, which I had made prior to taking my items to be melted down, compared them to the receipts De Silva had given me and realised that he had recorded much less than the actual weights I had given him. I thought I had taken all reasonable precautions before handing over my jewellery to him, but I had let him weigh the items on scales which were out of my sight and trusted that the receipts he gave me were a true record and did not at that point compare them with my own notes.

A final twist to this story is that before I realised that I had been defrauded by De Silva I had recommended him to several friends, one of whom decided that she would do the same as I had and took her small gold items to him to be melted down and made into something different. As soon as I realised that I had been defrauded I contacted her and she went immediately to De Silva and took her pieces back (luckily he had not begun the process of melting them down). When she returned home she weighed her gold and then looked at the receipt that De Silva had given to her and saw that he had recorded weights much lower than the actual pieces weighed. At this point we realised that not only was De Silva being dishonest about using customers’ own pieces, which would achieve much more in re-sale terms, but that he was also defrauding them by giving false weights thereby ‘skimming’ gold for his own use.


The friend in question also made a statement to the Police as it was clear that De Silva had also intended to defraud her. The Police informed me that her statement would be used as additional evidence in my case, but that they could not take any action on her behalf as the jeweller had not actually carried out the work.

Time passed and eventually I was informed that no action would be taken against De Silva. Despite all the evidence which I had submitted including photographs, notes, receipts etc., and the additional statement from my friend I was told that the case would be closed. Of course, I am very disappointed by this decision, but I am more baffled than anything. I have asked how the Singapore Judiciary reached their decision but have been told this is ‘confidential information’. I also repeatedly asked what had happened to the confiscated items and only after months of repeatedly asking was I informed that the items were being processed for return to De Silva.

I have now returned to live in Europe and feel very sad that I have such a bad feeling about Singapore. I feel very let down, not only by De Silva but also by the judiciary and I am currently planning to take out civil legal proceedings as I really do not think that this sort of fraud should be allowed to continue unchallenged. I have lost hope of ever getting my lovely pieces returned to me, but I hope at least that my story will make others think very carefully before entering into any similar arrangements with De Silva.

We feel quite disheartened to receive such complaint. Although Scams Singapore is not able to investigate and testify for the scam incident, we do believe such form of gold scams do exist in Singapore - low crime doesn't mean no crime.

People who are being conned by such jewellery shop, please lodge police report in order to prevent such scammers from cheating more people!

Nevertheless, we wish to warn everyone that if you are going to hand over your gold to any jewellery shop, be sure to weigh the gold, take photos and make sure the person who takes over your gold indicates the correct weight on the receipt.

Online Scams Targeting Blogshop Owners

This is similar to another Customer Scam on E-Commerce Website.

Blog Shop owners should take note of this.

Here is a Credit card scam that they are doing. They order from 1800.00 to 5000.00 dollars worth of product off your website by credit card. The billing and shipping address match. As soon as the order it, They want you to ship it immediately, and wear you out daily about getting the product shipped asap. It is obvious now that it was a stolen credit card because 30 days later, you will get a no authorization to purchase against your shopping cart. I was using pay-pal pro processor for my shopping cart which handles credit cards but does not give you any seller protection which I found out later.They only do seller protect on Pay-pal only and not all the time. Once the no authorization hits, pay-pal takes that amount out of your account immediately. They then fight for you to resolve the issue with the credit card company. With out letting the whole world know the outcome, the bottom line is the scammer has the product. You paid for the product and then your account gets hits for the entire amount when the no authorized purchase contacts pay-pal which puts you negative for what ever the amount was. If you send some product out, they tell their buddies and what happen to me is that 5 of them ordered product all before the first no authorization hit which means there was money and product going everywhere and in the end you have no protection on the orders, the product that did get sent you will no longer see and you will be responsible for the money on it. This has been a horrible and very expensive scam that was done to me and all I did was have products to sell on the internet from my website. My site has some very expensive items , so it did not take many items to really rack up the money which has all fallen on me. Now, I can no longer take a order from a legitimate customer because my pay-pal is in the negative. If a order comes in, it just makes my account less negative. Then you would have to try and chase that money down. It has been a nightmare to say the least. A lot of the times they ask if you take credit cards as the first email. Be very careful as these Singapore scammers are probably from Indonesia or Malaysia using freight forward addresses at the airport in Singapore. All the address's were on Airport Rd, Bldg. what ever. BEWARE..

House Rental Scam - Property Agent Scam

Dear Friends,

I just want to make aware all the people who are searching for Rented houses.

There are people in group who will put an Ad. on gumtree or other website for Rented house 2+1 or 3+1. they will ask the Rent lesser then the market price like (1400 - 1700 for 2+1) and (1700 to 1900) for 3+1.
Once people see this less price Ad and call the number which they mention in the Ad. One Lady mostly will pick the phone (some time could be guy also). Lady is of age around 30 -35 blend cut may be chinese. (Name - Melza)

She will arrange the meeting with u and show u the house and will say will paint the house and do all cleaning and other work etc.
She will say they are the Management company(TDAP) and NOT the agent. So we will take care of the house for whole tenure for any demage etc.

Once you are impressed with her talks and less rental. She will ask 2 months deposite, 1 month rent and 1 month management fees. And will ask to deposite money in her comapny account.

She will give u aggreement papar and deposit slip evrything very nicely and will agree for your move in date.
But as your move in date will come near she will say house is not available. And says I will show u another house or move u in another house for time being.

she will keep u showing many houses but will never give u those houses. And you will be stuck because youe move in date is near and u can not find new house also. If u ask ur money she will not agree for refund and if she agrees to refund she will give you a Cheque which will get bounced latar on when u deposite in your bank account. As they will issue you closed account cheque.

Many people they have targeted mostly Indain families who can not run behind them to get money back, they r taking advantage. Also they do not pay the owners and agents from whom they take houses.

Many people are their victim (I am also one of their victim). So I do not want any other people to suffer like me and others who are suffering mental and physical tortour. I compalined to police also but do not know when action will be taken care.

So plssssssssss my friends do not get traped to get Rented house on seeing cheaper Rent. And from any company says they r management company. they are 3-4 people made a gang and doing scam and fraud to innocent people. They do have company office also. do not get impressed seeing their office.

Note : they will give you all the documents very neatly (like agreement, deposit slip and money transfred slip etc.) but, at last these documents will not be helpful. Once money gone its gone.

So, pls get house only through register agents under (CEA) and ask there ID cards. and do meet owner before taking any house.

pls take all the precautions before giving your hard earned money.

Thanks for your attention. And voice out for any fraud or cheating you come accross to safe others.

A reader has posted the above rental scam on our website.

We would advise everyone to check with CEA when in doubt of the property agent.

Phone Scams Regarding Computer Being Hacked

The Singapore Police Force has warned the public not to fall prey to phone scams involving internet security. 32 cases have been reported since the beginning of this year.

On June 14, a woman had received a phone call from someone who claimed to be an employee of a well-known software company. The scammer told her that some Malaysians were trying to hack into her computer, followed by selling her a security licence in order to protect her computer.

After she handed over her credit card details, she realised S$1,300 was stolen from her account.

"I asked them to let me talk to my husband, but they said no, I had to make a decision that time, or else my computer would be blacklisted... I gave my credit card number and one-time password. Suddenly the screen went blank and some amount was charged to my account, and it was in euros," she said.

The public is advised not to divulge their credit card details to unknown person. Software company will not have your contact details. Therefore, in emergency situation, you will receive call from your Internet Service Provider (ISP), which can be Starhub, SingNet or M1. However, none of the companies would provide such security service.

Online Shopping Scams - Monroe Trends

One reader of ours is being scammed by a Facebook account selling MAC brushes and other cosmetics.

Be careful of Monroe Trends on Facebook selling MAC brushes and other cosmetics. Profile has been deleted but there might be similar scams online.

After transferring $, seller came back with an offer to buy 2 products at a discounted price. I agreed and transferred more $. Said delivery will take about 1-2 weeks as items are from Canada warehouse.

Seller then deleted facebook account and all I have is the account number. POSB SAVINGS :145-14097-8

Please be careful when shopping online, especially with individual sellers.

I got burnt this time :(

For online blogshop or Facebook page shopping, it is good to get recommendation from friends.