SINGAPORE: A 23-year-old former nurse has been arrested after he allegedly used the bank card details of patients under his care to make multiple unauthorised transactions.
The man was a Woodlands Health nurse deployed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) at the time of offence, the police said in a news release on Sunday (Jan 21).
A report was made on Sep 17, 2022 when a victim discovered multiple unauthorised transactions made using his bank card details.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim had sought medical treatment and was subsequently hospitalised.
“The victim was awoken when he spotted an unknown man rummaging his personal items, but he was unable to check on his belongings as he was in a drowsy state,” said the police, adding that Jurong Police Division officers subsequently established the man’s identity and arrested him.
Investigations revealed that the man had “misused the trust expected of a staff of a health institution” by accessing the bank card details of patients under his care.
He did so by accessing victims’ phones for their banking credentials and committed a “myriad of offences” by using the information obtained.
“Further investigations revealed that the man is also allegedly involved in other similar cases involving victims who were patients of the hospital, with losses amounting to more than S$12,000,” said the police.
He will be charged in court on Monday with amalgamated offences of cheating and unauthorised access with the intent to commit or facilitate commission of theft.
The man will also be charged with making unauthorised modifications to a computer and unauthorised access to computer material.
If found guilty of theft under the penal code, he faces up to three years’ jail, a fine, or both. Those convicted of cheating face an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
Under the Computer Misuse Act, the offence of unauthorised modification of computer material carries a fine of up to S$10,000, up to three years’ jail, or both.
Unauthorised access to computer material is punishable by a fine of up to S$5,000, up to two years’ jail, or both.
Under the same Act, those found guilty of access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of offence face a fine of up to S$50,000, an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, or both.