A 51-year-old interior designer has been arrested after allegedly offering customers renovation discounts if they paid him directly instead of transferring the money to his company.
After receiving payment, he allegedly failed to deliver the promised renovation services.
Police believe he may be linked to other cases involving the same approach, with total losses exceeding S$100,000.
Customer Contacted the Renovation Company
Police received a report on 29 June after a customer allegedly paid the man directly in return for discounted renovation services.
When the work was not carried out, the customer contacted the renovation company. The company then advised the customer to make a police report, which led to the man’s arrest.
According to preliminary police investigations, the man allegedly used the money for gambling.
He was due to be charged on 15 August with cheating. He has not been convicted, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
If convicted of cheating, he may be jailed for up to 10 years and could also face a fine, caning, or both.
Be Careful When Asked to Pay a Staff Member Directly
The alleged method is particularly believable because a discount can make a personal transfer appear like an informal arrangement approved by the company.
However, paying an employee or sales representative directly may leave the company without an official record of the transaction. Paying a representative directly could also make it harder to verify that the transaction was authorised by the company.
Police advised customers to check the credentials of renovation companies and their representatives. Customers should also avoid making large payments before work begins.
If a representative asks for money to be sent somewhere other than the company’s stated account, customers should confirm the payment instructions with the company through an independently obtained contact number.
