Stalker returns to jail for harassing female students and violating privacy

SINGAPORE: A man has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for his disturbing and unlawful activities that involved posing as an education surveyor to gather personal information from more than 500 female students.

The individual, identified as Fong Poh Kuen, 46, exploited his fake identity while employing covert recording devices to invade the privacy of innocent victims.

Operating under the guise of an education surveyor, Fong adopted a sinister modus operandi.

Equipped with black spectacles outfitted with pinhole cameras, he surreptitiously recorded female students while simultaneously collecting their personal details.

These shocking actions have led to his conviction and subsequent sentencing.

Fong’s disturbing actions had previously landed him in legal trouble in 2019, where he was convicted of harassment and other offences, resulting in a three-month jail sentence.

Following his release from prison, he escalated his criminal behaviour by utilizing spy-cam spectacles to perpetrate his invasive activities.

In addition to using the concealed cameras, Fong employed his mobile phone as a tool for his nefarious purposes.

He positioned the device in his breast pocket, facing outward, or held it at chest height to secretly record students.

The incriminating photos and videos were hidden within a password-protected mobile app disguised as a calculator.

The spy glasses, which Fong acquired after his 2019 conviction, enabled him to gather personal information from unsuspecting female students.

He formulated multiple fake education survey forms and stationed himself near educational institutions.

Focusing primarily on students wearing school uniforms, he approached them to complete the fraudulent surveys.

To gain their trust, he deceitfully claimed to represent a legitimate educational institution or government body.

His ruse extended to wearing spy glasses with an activated video-recording feature while conducting these deceptive surveys.

Once he had acquired the victims’ personal information, Fong used it to engage in stalking behaviour.

This included sending persistent text messages and maintaining surveillance on the victims.

One harrowing incident in November 2019 involved Fong approaching a 19-year-old student in junior college attire during her breakfast.

Posing as an NTU (Nanyang Technological University) student, he deceived her into providing personal information and details about her university applications.

Despite her growing suspicions and subsequent lack of response, Fong persisted in sending messages.

Fong’s criminal activities escalated to the point where he used his alumni account to track victims’ information through their university’s email systems.

His escalating invasions of privacy included approaching victims near various educational institutions, capturing photos and videos, and even engaging in harassing behaviour.

Authorities finally caught up with Fong’s reprehensible actions, leading to his arrest and remand on 31 August 2022.

On 29 August this year, he pleaded guilty to a total of 13 charges, including illegally obtaining personal information, causing distress, and engaging in unlawful stalking.