Conman cheats money by lying about accident

SINGAPORE: A 63-year-old Chinese man in connection with several cases of cheating reported island-wide has been arrested.

Police have been receiving several reports this month about a suspect who would approach unsuspecting victims and claim that he needs money urgently. He would usually say that he just met with a traffic accident or that his son was injured.

He would then take advantage of the victims' compassion to obtain a loan for medical treatment.

Upon receiving cash ranging from $50 to $170, the suspect would then provide the victims with a contact number for making arrangements to repay the loan, after which he could not be contacted and victims were not able to get their money back.

Following these reports, police officers arrested the man on Thursday at about 7.15pm at Jalan Bukit Ho Swee.

Preliminary investigations indicate that he is believed to be responsible for at least 10 cases.

The suspect will be charged in court on Sep 22 for cheating. If found guilty, he faces a maximum jail term of 10 years and shall also be liable to a fine.

Commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Keok Tong San warns the public to be wary when they encounter cases of such similar nature.

The public is advised to call the police should they sense something amiss. If a phone number is provided, it is advisable to call the number on the spot to test its authenticity.

klim@sph.com.sg