Freepik
Photo: Freepik
Two Taiwanese nationals who worked as errand runners came to Singapore to steal credit cards and buy fancy things
SINGAPORE: Two Taiwanese nationals came to Singapore as errand runners for a criminal gang and committed crimes such as stealing people's credit card information to buy expensive items such as iPhones and designer bags.
Both have been sentenced to jail. The 25-year-old man faced two charges of deception and was sentenced to 25 months in prison, while the 30-year-old woman faced two charges of deception and one charge of obstructing justice and was jailed for 31 months.
What really happened?
The investigation showed that the man and his friends borrowed money while gambling in Taiwan. Unable to repay the debt, the man used stolen credit card information to buy luxury goods in Singapore to pay off the money at the request of the man he had borrowed from. Following instructions from a member of a criminal syndicate, the man flew into Singapore with a friend, and they retrieved four mobile phones from a luggage locker at Changi Airport. These phones had the “Tap Pay” application pre-installed. Then they went shopping at various local stores using their mobile phones. Before paying, they would call a member of a criminal syndicate who would then create a virtual bank card on the “Tap Pay” page. With this, they were able to buy three Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, three Apple iPhone 16 Pro, one Apple earphones, two power banks, and three Gucci bags. All these cost a total of more than $24,000. They then sold these items, as instructed by the criminal syndicate. As they were about to leave the country a few days later, they were caught on the spot. As for the woman, she also purchased iPhones and Louis Vuitton bags using a phone provided by the criminal syndicate. Overall, she spent more than $50,000. Aside from committing fraud, she also discarded two mobile phones used in the crime, obstructing justice. The woman was arrested at the Changi Airport as she attempted to return to Taiwan. Foreigners found guilty of theft in Singapore face the same punishment as Singaporeans. Moreover, they may also face extra consequences such as deportation, job loss, and visa challenges.Newsletter
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