A Singapore Permanent Resident from China was fined only S$4,500 for defrauding a GST tax refund at Changi Airport. In May 2014, 48-year-old Zheng Da Fei and his wife bought a S$44,500 Cartier watch from the Cortina Watch outlet at Paragon mall, and the couple requested for an Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme ticket which entitles only tourists to a GST refund.
The next day, Zheng Da Fei approached a China Chinese tourist at Changi Airport Terminal 1 to help him claim the refund of S$2,911.21. The China Chinese tourist made a successful refund but the two were later arrested by Custom officers.
The Singapore PR was then fined for S$4,500 while the China Chinese tourist abetting the crime was let off scott-free.