Singapore Police revealed on 11 April that many people got cheated of their money in an online scam involving diaper bags recently.
A 34-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the case.
Jujube bags Singapore scam
According to Channel NewsAsia, victims were duped of their money after they did not receive the bags they had ordered online.
The alleged culprit, who was selling the bags on Carousell, had instructed them to transfer money to a bank account. However after the payments were made, she became uncontactable, and there was no news of the bags either.
The bags in question were the popular Jujube diaper bags, and if convicted, the woman faces a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.
Tips for safe online shopping
How can you be sure that the good deal you saw online is not a scam? And how do you know if the product you are going to buy is authentic, and not fake? Here are some tips:
- Do your research: Always check the buyer’s or seller’s track record. Buy only from reputable vendors and sellers.
- Check user feedback: Read up on online reviews and ratings for the service. When in doubt, you can always phone or e-mail a company the first time you purchase something and ask questions.
Also, be wary of sellers with a low volume of feedback, or with a high percentage of negative feedback.
- Examine the product pictures carefully: Look for close up pictures taken by the seller, especially the bar code. Importantly, be extra careful of sellers who use stock photos, or unclear photos. If the seller doesn’t personally take any pictures of the items they sell, chances are that something is really wrong!
Check for poor stitching, crooked labels, or misspelled brand names.
- Check product description: Look for well written, accurate descriptions. Be wary of over used words like “genuine,” “real,” or “authentic.” It shows they are desperate to gain the customer’s trust.
- If it’s dirt cheap, get suspicious: Look for fair and consistent prices. Beware of prices that look too good to be true.
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Be clear about billing, guarantees and delivery policies before you purchase :
If advanced payment is required, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item.
Always look out for additional costs and payment details, like packaging costs and delivery costs. Check whether you will be billed before or after delivery of the products, and whether you can track the item from the moment of purchase to arrival at your door.
Does the product come with a guarantee or warranty for defects? What is the Company’s policy about cancellations, returns and refunds? These are some factors to consider.
- Only use secure websites when transferring funds through the site: Ensure that your credit card details are going to be processed using a secure connection. Most often the address bar in your browser will change from starting with http to https.
- Record purchase details. After purchasing your item, always record the details of the time, date, receipt number, and order confirmation. If you cannot print one off, take a screenshot as a form of proof of purchase.
(Source: Channel NewsAsia)
Also READ: Simple hacks to protect yourself while shopping online!
