A customer relations officer at Marina Square has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for fraudulently securing nearly S$28,000 in e-vouchers meant for use at the shopping mall. Aravindran Vallaban, a 26-year-old Malaysian national, pleaded guilty to cheating charges that allowed him to manipulate a promotional referral programme.
How the Fraud Happened
Between 13 May 2024 and 3 April 2025, Aravindran created a staggering 2,172 fake membership accounts to exploit the mall’s referral campaign. The programme incentivized new members to use referral codes, granting both the new and referring member S$5 in e-vouchers upon successful signup.
- New members needed to confirm their identities with a one-time password (OTP).
- Aravindran had access to sensitive customer data and OTPs due to his role as an assistant customer relations supervisor.
Exploiting Access and Technology
Aravindran’s position allowed him to handle customer inquiries and manage promotional activities, granting him access to an in-house customer relationship management system. His supervisor, who had higher access privileges, shared his login credentials with Aravindran for convenience, inadvertently paving the way for the fraud.
Utilising *ChatGPT*, he generated fake phone numbers to register these fraudulent accounts and illegally retrieved OTPs to bypass the verification process.
Discovery and Legal Proceedings
The scheme unraveled when a deputy general marketing manager at Marina Centre Holdings flagged unusually high numbers of referrals with invalid phone numbers. A subsequent review revealed that many fraudulent accounts shared the same device ID linked to Aravindran’s account.
On 17 April 2025, the manager lodged a police report, leading to Aravindran’s apprehension. Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim underscored the gravity of Aravindran’s actions, stating he had committed a sustained and elaborate cheating offence.
Restitution and Sentencing
Aravindran has made full restitution of S$27,915 to Marina Centre Holdings. While the prosecution sought a sentence of at least 22 months to serve as a deterrent, the court ultimately sentenced him to 20 months in jail. He faced the possibility of a longer sentence after the prosecution highlighted the serious nature of his actions, which could have led to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.