SINGAPORE - A 31-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams involving the sale of Apple MacBook laptops, the police said on Nov 29.

Between Oct 28 and Nov 2, the police received several reports from victims who were allegedly cheated by the man.

He had allegedly sold MacBooks on e-commerce platform Carousell, but victims received dummy items after they made payments via bank transfers.

Officers from Clementi Police Division identified the man and arrested him on Nov 28.

The man is believed to be involved in at least eight cases of e-commerce scams amounting to more than $27,000.

He will be charged in court on Nov 30 with cheating. If found guilty, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

The police advised the public to be careful when making online purchases.

“If the price is too good to be true, it probably is,” they said. “Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.”

They also advised the public to avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to a seller, as these methods do not offer buyers any protection.

Instead, they should protect themselves by using options that release payment to a seller only upon delivery of the items.

The police also warned that scammers may entice buyers to contact them directly through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or WeChat and offer a better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them.

“They may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of an NRIC or driver’s licence to make you believe that they are genuine sellers,” they added.

The public can visit scamalert.sg or call the anti-scam hotline on 1800-722-6688 for more information.

Anyone with information on such scams may call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.