The Singapore police have apprehended three teenagers, aged 15, 17, and 18, suspected of being involved in a series of cheating cases related to food deliveries from 12 July to 17 July.
The Alleged Cheating Cases
Preliminary investigations suggest that the trio is connected to at least five cheating cases, causing a total loss of over S$900 to various delivery personnel.
The victims reported that they delivered food items to the teenagers, but no payment was made to them, leading to significant financial losses for the delivery personnel involved.
July 12 Incident
One of the incidents took place on July 12 at Block 523 Serangoon North Avenue 4. According to the charge sheets, the 17-year-old female and 18-year-old male teenagers deceived a delivery personnel by claiming that payment had been made via a PayNow fund transfer.
The delivery personnel handed over items worth S$271.03, believing that the payment had been processed. However, the victims later discovered that the PayNow transfers shown to them were forged, and they did not receive any payment.
Uncovering the Modus Operandi
Further investigations by officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division revealed the teenagers’ modus operandi.
They would place orders for food items using cash-on-delivery, then they would insist on making PayNow transfers to the delivery personnel, showing them fake screenshots of the purported payments.
The victims, unaware of the deception, would release the items, only to find out later that they had not received any payment.
Legal Action and Consequences
The Singapore police acted swiftly after receiving multiple reports from victims who fell prey to the teenagers’ cheating schemes. On July 17, the authorities arrested the three suspects and conducted further investigations.
On July 19, the 17-year-old female and 18-year-old male teenagers were brought before the court and charged with abetment by conspiracy to commit cheating. If found guilty, they could face a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine.
The investigation against the 15-year-old youth is still ongoing, and the authorities are diligently working to bring all involved parties to justice.
Additional Charges Against the 18-Year-Old
In addition to the food delivery cheating cases, the 18-year-old male teenager is facing other charges related to assisting an unlicensed moneylender in Singapore.
He had allegedly helped an illegal moneylender named “siao kiao” to take photos of two housing units at Block 537 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 on 9 July 2022, and Block 22 teban Garden Road on 9 August 2022.