SINGAPORE — After being scammed out of thousands of dollars in camera gear, two local photographers decided to take matters into their own hands by setting a trap for the perpetrator. Their efforts led to the arrest of a 21-year-old man, though they suspect others may still be involved in the scam.
The scam, which first surfaced in September, involved the fraudster borrowing camera equipment from unsuspecting victims, then selling the items at second-hand shops instead of returning them. The scammer found victims through listings on Carousell, a popular local marketplace app, and also targeted the owner of a camera rental business.
Two victims, including Mr. Marcus Chong, 31, the owner of JustRentLah, a camera rental company, managed to catch the suspect. Chong said his business nearly lost $16,000, but quick action allowed him to recover some of the equipment, which had already been sold to second-hand shops.
Chong, suspecting his company had been scammed, set up a meet-up under the guise of delivering forgotten equipment to a customer who had visited his shop. The meeting was set at Swissotel The Stamford, where Chong confronted the alleged scammer while the police were notified and prepared to arrest him.
At the meeting, the scammer admitted to selling off some of the equipment and claimed that he had been paid only $100 for the scam. Investigations into the case are still ongoing, and police have arrested the 21-year-old man for cheating.
However, the arrest did not end the scam. One victim, Mr. Ho, lost about $2,500 worth of equipment in November after lending his Sony A7 II camera and lenses to the same scammer. Ho, who was able to trace the scammer’s lost NRIC (National Registration Identity Card), filed a police report, further exposing the scheme.
This latest scam follows similar fraudulent activity in the local photography community in previous years, with at least 10 victims believed to have been targeted in the current wave. Victims have reported losses ranging from hundreds to $25,000.
Carousell, the app through which the scammer found victims, has stated that it is aware of the situation and will take action to suspend and ban any accounts involved in fraudulent activity. It also advised users to be cautious when dealing in cash, as scammers often seek to avoid leaving digital traces.