Two men were arrested by Singapore police for allegedly cheating a man of S$800 on Wednesday, September 3. The suspects reportedly pretended to be tourists in financial difficulty.
The suspects allegedly tricked the victim into giving up his money by using a phony gold ring and a phony bank receipt.
On September 5, the police announced that the two suspects would face charges on Saturday, September 6.
A 31-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman reportedly approached the victim at the main entrance of a supermarket in Joo Koon Circle, which is close to Upper Jurong Road, according to the police.
The suspects allegedly posed as Hong Kong tourists who were having financial problems as a result of a bank card that was not working properly.
In order to fulfill an urgent hotel payment, the 31-year-old man allegedly requested S$800 in cash from the victim. In exchange, the victim was allegedly given a fake bank transfer receipt as proof of payment.
The man also allegedly displayed a fake gold ring, stating that it was worth RM11,980 (S$3,663), in an attempt to further prove his legitimacy.
After that, the victim took out $800 and gave the man the money. When the victim realized that no money had been transferred to his account, he realized he had been defrauded.
According to the police, he confirmed at a pawn shop that the ring was a counterfeit and confirmed with his bank that the transfer was fraudulent.
At 2:25 pm on September 4, the victim reported the incident to the police. Early on September 5, the two were taken into custody.
Fifteen identical fake gold rings, S$1,578 in cash, and cell phones with fake transaction receipts were confiscated.
The duo faced charges of cheating with intent to deceive. Those found guilty face a fine and a maximum 10-year jail sentence.
The public is advised by the police to exercise caution when strangers approach them and ask for money.
