Feb 7, 2011
Housing agent cheated foreigners in rental scam
By Khushwant Singh
Admond Huang Weilun, 24, cheated 31 foreigners out of a total of $75,750 in a string of rental scams was jailed for two years. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
A FORMER housing agent who cheated 31 foreigners out of a total of $75,750 in a string of rental scams was jailed for two years on Monday as a deterrent to other would-be con artists.
Admond Huang Weilun, 24, was given the sentence after the prosecution urged the judge not to be lenient, on the grounds that scams of this kind are on the increase and must be stamped out.
There were 231 cases last year, 40 more than in 2009, the court heard. District Judge John Ng agreed, saying that rental scams are very easy to carry out and the victims are especially vulnerable.
Huang pleaded guilty to nine charges of colluding with accomplices to falsely offer flats for rent and collecting advance payments. Another 25 charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.
The flats used in the rental scam were in Ang Mo Kio, Marsiling, North Bridge Road, Sengkang, Toa Payoh and Henderson Road, and were owned by some of Huang's 13 accomplices. They would be offered for rent on the Internet.
Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.