iPhone scammer gets 16 months' jail after running a sham sale online

Justice has come for an iPhone scammer who thought he discovered a fast strategy to cheat people on-line.

A 31-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to jail for getting over S$10,000 ($7,000) from 15 victims who thought they have been shopping for iPhone 7 Plus units from him.

Cai Jiaxiang, a serial scammer who has been out and in of jail for a decade based on Today, scammed potential consumers by promising to promote them iPhone 7 Plus telephones in the event that they paid an upfront deposit of S$100 - S$400 ($70 - $280) on Carousell, an internet consumer-to-consumer market. 

A Thai purchaser reportedly paid greater than S$four,610 ($three,200) for 3 handsets, based on native discussion board Hardwarezone.

The scams began in September final yr, when Cai marketed the iPhones. Consumers would contact him, and they might be requested to deposit a sum right into a checking account after a lot haggling. After Cai acquired the funds, he would reduce off communication with the customer. 

Aside from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, Cai additionally hit customers in South Korea, the place he made posts in a number of Fb teams, corresponding to this, this and this.

One South Korean consumer took to Fb to publicly doc his woes.

His rip-off turned undone when consumers rallied collectively in Whatsapp teams after realising that that they had been scammed. 

One of many consumers, who efficiently obtained Cai's identification card and driving licence, posted it on Hardwarezone, along with different particulars resembling screenshots and particulars of the rip-off.

With increasingly individuals shopping for items on-line in Asia and in the West, regulation enforcement is important to maintain ecommerce scams at bay.