Jail for Malaysian man linked to use of stolen credit card details to buy phones worth over S$45,000 in Singapore
Tang Chin Huat arriving at the State Courts on May 22. He had surrendered himself to the authorities after finding out he was a wanted man over the incident. - Photo: ST
SINGAPORE: Two men came to Singapore and used stolen credit card details to buy 23 mobile phones worth more than S$45,000 in total. Most of the devices were later resold in Malaysia for profit.
A third man, Tang Chin Huat, who drove them around to buy the phones, was sentenced to a year and 11 months' jail on June 26.
The 27-year-old Malaysian had pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in a conspiracy to commit cheating, and one count of removing the benefits of criminal conduct out of Singapore.
He had surrendered himself to the Singapore authorities after finding out through newspapers that he was a wanted man over the incident, which took place in November 2024.
The case involving one of his alleged accomplices, Ding Jiun Hao, 26, who is also a Malaysian, is pending.
Another alleged accomplice, Liau Wei Zheng is still at large, and court documents did not disclose details about him.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ronnie Ang said that Tang and Ding were childhood friends. Both men worked as drivers, ferrying passengers between Malaysia and Singapore.
Ding and Liau knew each other as they had rented rooms at the same condominium in Johor.
In early November 2024, Liau asked Ding if he wanted to earn some extra money.
According to court documents, Liau told him that an unknown person known only as 'Boss' would give him credit cards belonging to other people to buy 'as many iPhones as possible' in Singapore for resale in Malaysia.
The card owners did not know that their details had been stolen.
'Boss' had promised Liau RM500 (S$150) for every phone they sold, and Liau offered to share the profits with Ding, said DPP Ang.
Needing a car to travel to and around Singapore, Ding asked Liau to rope in Tang, who owned one.
Liau then contacted Tang and told him about the scheme.
As part of the plan, Liau would receive 50 per cent of the profits, while the other two men would receive 25 per cent each.
Tang accepted the offer and on Nov 8, 2024, the three men travelled to Singapore in his car to visit four mobile phone shops at places including Orchard Road and Geylang.
Using the credit card details, Liau bought the phones at three stores, and Ding did so at one, said the prosecutor.
Tang waited in his car during these transactions.
Their phone-buying spree came to an end when a shop staff member sensed something was amiss after Liau bought 13 phones at the employee's workplace.
DPP Ang said: 'The staff held back five phones and requested passport verification from Liau before releasing the phones.
'Liau and Ding went back to the car and left without those five phones as Liau wanted to return to Malaysia as soon as possible.'
The three men returned to Malaysia with the 18 remaining iPhones worth over $39,700 in total and Liau later sold the devices.
The DPP told the court that Liau then gave Ding and Tang RM2,250 each for taking part in the ruse.
Ding was arrested when he re-entered Singapore on Nov 10, 2024, to ferry passengers.
Tang returned to Singapore 14 days later and surrendered himself to the authorities. He has since made a restitution of $2,000. - The Straits Times/ANN
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