Singapore police arrested two men for their suspected involvement in a series of cheating cases linked to wireless AirPods earbuds. On Wednesday, December 25 officers started that they have received multiple reports between Saturday, December 21 and Monday, December 23 from several alleged victims who claimed that they were cheated by the two men into buying fake AirPods when they responded to an online advertisement.
Fake AirPods
Police officers at Bedok Police Division immediately conducted the investigation to find out the culprits behind the scam. They found one 19-year-old and a 23-year-old male suspects. Both the alleged accused were arrested on Monday.
Singapore Police Force (SPF) stated that the investigation on two suspects is currently going on. They advised members of the public to take precautions when shopping online. They stated that consumers should only buy items from authorised dealers and use platforms that only release payment to the seller after the purchaser receives the item.
The consumers can also check a seller's track record before ordering anything online by reading reviews of their services or contacting past customers.
Singapore law
As per the Singapore Penal Code, whoever, by deceiving any person, whether or not such deception was the sole or main inducement, fraudulently or dishonestly induces the person so deceived to deliver any property to any person, or to consent that any person shall retain any property, or intentionally induces the person so deceived to do or omit to do anything which he would not do or omit to do if he were not so deceived, and which act or omission causes or is likely to cause damage or harm to any person in body, mind, reputation or property, is said to "cheat".
In such cases, people who cheats and thereby dishonestly induces the person deceived to deliver any property to any person or to make, alter or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security, or anything which is signed or sealed, and which is capable of being converted into a valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine.
