Singaporean authorities arrested a 28-year-old man for suspected involvement in several e-commerce scams. The online seller allegedly advertised the sale of Pokemon cards on Carousell.
(Photo : Photo by IDA MARIE ODGAARD/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)
Jens Ishoey Prehn presents some cards of his collection of pokemon cards in Niva, eastern Denmark on November 25, 2022.
Scamming People with Pokemon Cards
Officers from Ang Mo Kio Division in Singapore arrested a 28-year-old man on Monday for scamming people with Pokemon cards, advertised on Carousell. According to a report from The Straits Times, the preliminary investigations revealed that the man could have been involved in at least eight similar cases, with losses amounting to more than SG $9,000.
Authorities revealed that they have received similar several reports from June 20 up until the 24th from different victims, alleging an online seller who advertised the sale of the collectibles. As per reports, the man became uncontactable after obtaining the money he received from his customers or victims.
The transaction was done using PayNow, a payment service by participating banks in Singapore. The authorities rapidly established the identity of the man and was arrested immediately, charged with cheating, and may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
After the immediate action, members and victims were advised to only purchase from authorized sellers or reputable sources, knowing that Pokemon cards are high-valued items. If possible, people should opt for buyer protection by using in-built payment methods that will only be paid once delivered.
Arrested for Stealing Pokemon Cards
A few weeks ago, police also arrested a 35-year-old man in Japan for allegedly stealing about 1,500 Pokemon cards worth $8,000. According to Japan Times, the incident happened in Tokyo's Akihabara district, where rare Pokemon cards are usually traded at high prices.
Masaki Omori from Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture, admitted to the charges against him, including stealing, breaking, and entering. Police were told by the suspect that he responded to a Twitter post and stole the cards based on the instructions given to him by another person. Following this, he rented a car in Ibaraki Prefecture and receive the tools for the operation.
This includes gloves from a man waiting at a retail store. This case appears to be "yami baito," which means dark/shady part-time jobs. According to Omori, he was offered more than a million yen but did not come through. Investigators are still looking for the individual who gave the orders to the suspect.
Also Read: Target Suspends 'Pokemon TCG' Actual Cards Because of Aggressive Buyers: How to Buy It Online
Meanwhile, in February last year when an unknown man broke inside a local card shop based in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The owner of the show managed to get out of the place and steal some valuable Pokemon cards, reaching thousands of dollars in price.
A small hole was created in the wall as he infiltrated the storage area of the shop. Based on the obtained footage, the robber reportedly took two hours to get all he needed to this agenda. By not opening the doors of the store, the thief did not trigger any alarms.
Related Article: Unknown Man Reportedly Robs $250K Worth of Rare 'Pokemon' Cards From Minnesota Shop
