4 Teenagers Arrested for Cheating S$2,000 Out of Carousell Customers By Pretending to Sell Rolex Watches

What can be a more fitting symbol of your magnificent success and abundant prosperity than a Rolex watch made with the pure gold of capitalism, shining with the rays of excess and sparkling with the diamonds of consumerism?

Well, now you can get one for just $2,000. 

Oh wait, it’s a scam, sorry.

Teenagers Arrested for Carousell Listing Scam

The police were informed by multiple victims of a Carousell scam on 26 and 27 April that someone on Carousell had pretended to put up Rolex watches for sale. 

The seller claimed to sell Rolex watches at a massive discount—just a few hundred dollars, when the Rolex website lists the same watches as “price on request”.

I guess if you have to ask for the price, that means you can’t afford it. How dismissive of us plebeians. 

The victims were then instructed by the seller to send a total of $2,000 through PayNow as deposit payments. The seller—you guessed it—disappeared from the face of the Earth right after receiving the payment.

That is, until the police identified the sellers (or maybe it would be more apt to say scammer?) and promptly arrested the four teenagers who are suspected to be involved on 3 and 4 May. They are aged 16 and 17.

Investigations against them are currently ongoing.

They may be charged with the offense of cheating, which, if they are convicted, will carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine.

Guess instead of watches, they are getting watchtowers. How unfortunate.

Police Advise Public to Stay Vigilant

As usual, the police have advised the public to stay vigilant of possible scams when shopping online. 

For example, if the price is too good to be true, chances are that the listing is a scam. Especially when making high-value purchases, always visit authorised and/or reputable sources to avoid being scammed.

Some platforms also provide buyer protection measures, such as payment options where the payment is only given to the seller when the goods are delivered to and verified by the buyer. 

(I’m sorry to the crystal shop that had to wait for a week because I kept forgetting to check my mailbox.)

Scammers may try to get you to trust them by sending a photo of their NRIC, or even promise to offer a better discount if direct bank transfers are made, but, well, don’t buy it. What difference does it make anyway, if they don’t have anything to hide?

If you do fall victim to such scams however (because sometimes Rolex watches are just blind us with their shine), contact the police immediately.

For further information, you can visit scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. 

Feature Image: Jitjaroen Channarong / Shutterstock.com