Scam alert: E-commerce cheating up 425% in 1H14

Find out which scams registered significant increases.

Housebreaking, theft and related crimes recorded 10-year lows, but cheating involving e-commerce saw an unprecedented rise in number.

The Singapore Police Force revealed that cheating involving e-commerce is they key crime concern in the first half of this year, up from 96 cases in 1H13 to 504 this quarter.

In particular, the Multiple Payment Online Purchase Scam and Paypal Email Scam registered significant increases.

SPF adds that cyber extortion forms the majority of the increase in attempted extortion and extortion cases. The total amount cheated increased from at least $22,000 to at least $57,000.

The majority of perpetrators of such scams are overseas and the monies are usually transferred to overseas bank accounts.

Apart from e-commerce-related scams, the Internet Love Scam also registered a significant increase.