SINGAPORE — A 32-year-old man will be charged on Wednesday (March 16) with cheating for his alleged involvement in a series of rental scams where victims lost some S$55,000.
In a news release on Tuesday, the police said they had received reports from several victims of rental scams between January and March this year.
They had responded to online advertisements offering the rental of residential units.
After they paid the deposit for the rental unit via bank transfer, the man allegedly became uncontactable, the police said.
Officers from the Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the man through follow-up investigations and arrested him on Monday.
Preliminary investigations by the authorities found that the man is believed to be involved in 24 similar cases of rental scams with losses amounting to more than S$54,700.
If found guilty for the offence of cheating, the man can be jailed a maximum of 10 years and fined.
The police said that members of the public can adopt some measures to avoid falling prey to rental scams.
These include ensuring the person they deal with is the rightful owner of the unit or an accredited real estate agent.
They should also visit the unit and verify with the owner whether the rental offer exists and is genuine, the police warned.
They added that anyone with information on the scams can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
Earlier on Monday, real estate…
