A Singapore man lost S$700 after attempting to buy a MacBook Air on Carousell from a seller whose account appeared highly trustworthy, with more than 100 positive reviews.
The buyer, Kamirul Johari, said he was convinced the seller was legitimate because of the account’s strong ratings and the person’s quick responses.
Instead, the transaction ended with no MacBook, a missing seller and a police report.
The case has also raised concerns about how scammers can exploit genuine-looking online accounts to gain the confidence of potential buyers.
MacBook listed for S$850
Kamirul said he was browsing Carousell in the early hours of Sept 3 when he came across a MacBook Air listed for about S$850.
He negotiated with the seller and managed to bring the price down to S$700.
The seller reportedly told him that he was leaving Singapore and needed to sell the laptop quickly.
The explanation, combined with the seller’s more than 100 positive reviews and rapid replies, helped convince Kamirul that the deal was genuine.
The two subsequently moved their conversation to WhatsApp and arranged for the laptop to be collected early that morning.
He transferred the money before receiving the laptop
Kamirul transferred the full S$700 to the seller through an electronic payment method before receiving the MacBook.
He then arranged for a Lalamove driver to collect the laptop from an address in Eastwood Green in Bedok.
But when the driver arrived, the unit number provided by the seller could not be located.
The promised laptop was nowhere to be found.
Kamirul said the seller initially stopped responding to his messages and calls, leaving him to realise that he had likely been scammed.
He also lost an additional S$37.30 on the delivery arrangement.
Seller later blamed a ‘friend’
Kamirul subsequently created another Carousell account and contacted the seller again, pretending to be interested in purchasing the MacBook.
He confronted the seller about the missing laptop and demanded his money back.
The seller then claimed that the Carousell account was shared with a friend who had deleted their earlier conversation.
According to the seller, the friend was responsible for the scam.
The seller provided Kamirul with the supposed friend’s name and social media accounts, but also claimed that the person was no longer in Singapore and could be in Armenia or China.
Kamirul said he remained uncertain about whether the explanation was genuine.
Carousell says seller’s account was compromised
Carousell later confirmed that the seller’s account had been compromised by a third party.
The platform said the account was suspended after the incident and that its customer support team had reached out to Kamirul to provide assistance.
Further action has been left to the authorities.
Singapore police confirmed that a report had been lodged and that investigations are ongoing.
No arrests have been reported in connection with the case.
Why the positive reviews were so convincing
The incident highlights a major weakness in online marketplace transactions: a seller’s reputation may not always belong to the person currently controlling the account.
A long history of positive reviews can create a strong sense of trust, particularly when a buyer is dealing with a relatively expensive purchase.
But if an established account is compromised, the reviews may reflect the genuine history of the original account holder rather than the person currently communicating with the buyer.
That means even a seller with hundreds of positive ratings cannot automatically be treated as risk-free.
Moving conversations off-platform can increase the risk
The transaction also shifted from Carousell to WhatsApp before payment was made.
Moving conversations away from a marketplace can make it harder for buyers to rely on the platform’s built-in safeguards and transaction records.
Scammers may also use messaging apps to pressure buyers into making quick decisions or direct payments.
In this case, the seller’s claim that he was about to leave Singapore created an additional sense of urgency around the purchase.
That combination — an apparently reputable account, a bargain price and pressure to complete the deal quickly — helped persuade Kamirul to pay before seeing the laptop.
Buyers should not rely on reviews alone
The case serves as a reminder that online reviews are only one part of assessing whether a seller is trustworthy.
For expensive purchases, buyers should avoid transferring money directly to unfamiliar sellers before receiving the item.
Where possible, transactions should remain within the marketplace’s official payment and buyer-protection systems.
Buyers can also arrange to inspect high-value items in person before making payment and should be wary of sellers who insist on moving conversations or payments outside the platform.
A deal that appears unusually cheap or requires immediate payment should also trigger additional caution.
A costly reminder for online shoppers
For Kamirul, what initially looked like a good deal on a MacBook Air became a S$700 loss within hours.
The experience also shows why even experienced online shoppers can fall victim to scams when several reassuring signals appear at once.
A seller with more than 100 positive reviews may look safe, but if the account has been compromised, that reputation can be misleading.
As online marketplaces become increasingly popular for buying expensive electronics and other goods, the case is a reminder that reviews can provide useful information — but they should never replace secure payment practices and basic checks before money changes hands.
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