A 29-year-old man has been apprehended for his suspected role in a series of e-commerce scams involving limited edition Pokémon trading cards, while a separate case sees a 32-year-old Singaporean arrested in connection with an organized crime ring operating in Cambodia.
Pokémon Card Scam
According to the police, the younger man is believed to have been involved in at least 111 cases, resulting in losses exceeding $80,000. He allegedly advertised pre-order sales of these sought-after cards on Carousell. Victims typically found themselves scammed when their cards never arrived after making payments via bank transfers.
- The suspect would initially delay delivery claims before becoming unresponsive.
- He was arrested on 1 December 2024 by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department.
- If convicted of cheating, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a hefty fine.
The police have issued a caution to online shoppers: “If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.” They urge buyers to purchase only from authorized sellers and to avoid direct bank transfers to unknown sellers.
Organised Crime Ring Arrest
In an unrelated case, Jayen Lee Jian Hao, a Singaporean man, was arrested on 4 December 2024 after being deported from Thailand. He is among 34 individuals wanted by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and is charged with facilitating a serious offence linked to an organised crime group.
- Lee’s arrest was facilitated through collaboration with the Royal Thai Police.
- He may face up to five years in jail and a fine of $100,000 if found guilty.
SPF has identified Lee as part of a larger scam operation, which has targeted victims with government official impersonation scams, resulting in losses of at least $41 million. As investigations proceed, the police continue to seek the remaining suspects in the case.
For those who suspect they’ve encountered scams, the police encourage contacting the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.