Taiwanese man with suspected syndicate links arrested for alleged credit card fraud at Far East Plaza

SINGAPORE: A Taiwanese man was arrested on Wednesday (Feb 26) after he made a suspicious credit card transaction at a store in Far East Plaza. 

The police said in a news release on Thursday that they were alerted to the incident at a mobile phone store in the mall. 

The 26-year-old was arrested at the scene with the assistance of the store owner and security officers.

Preliminary investigations revealed the man had arrived in Singapore earlier the same day and was allegedly working for an overseas criminal syndicate, said the police. 

He was also believed to have used contactless payment methods, also known as near field communication (NFC) mobile payments, linked to stolen credit card details to make fraudulent purchases at various locations in the country.

"This modus operandi is believed to have defrauded multiple businesses, with the man successfully purchasing Razer Gold eGift cards worth a total of S$1,110 from various 7-11 stores prior to his arrest," said the police. 

The gift cards and three mobile phones were recovered and seized.

Razer Gold is a virtual currency by gaming company Razer. It can be used to make in-game purchases and to purchase credit on gaming platforms.

He will be charged in court on Friday. If found guilty of cheating, he faces up to 10 years' jail and a fine.

"Unauthorised use of another person’s credit or debit card is a serious offence," police warned, adding that they take a serious view against anyone who commits fraud.

"Perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law."

The police advised members of the public to take action immediately in the event of a lost or stolen credit or debit card.