The suspect will be charged for cheating, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine.
The police have arrested a 36-year-old man believed to be involved in at least nine rental scam cases between June and August this year, reported Channel NewsAsia.
In a statement, the police revealed that the suspect would follow up with persons who responded to online advertisements on the rental of a room in Punggol, and become uncontactable upon receiving rental deposits in the range of $200 to $1,000.
The suspect will be charged in court on Friday (26 August) with cheating, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a fine.
To prevent similar cases from occurring, the police advise members of the public to visit the property first to verify if it actually exists. They should also ensure that the person they are dealing with is the unit’s rightful owner, or is an accredited real estate agent.
They can search for similar ads placed elsewhere to determine if the listing is genuine. Rental deposits or rent should be paid directly to the property owner and not the salesperson. Payments should be made only after the tenancy agreement has been signed by all parties.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
