Date: Mar 31, 2012
You know it is a scam. And you may still fell right into the trap. This is an article to alert all my friends who is travelling back to JB on bus and need to cross the City Square bridge.
In Johor Bahru (or in KL or any where), these youngster hang out at the bridge between Custom and City Square. They will try to gang up and block your way, and try to make you play the Scratch & Win game (刮刮乐). If you stop and listen to what they sweet talk you with, it will be possible for them to use some magic spells or curse or drugs on you. No matter you are highly educated, no matter you are very alert, you cannot escape this once they have a chance to "control" you.
http://super325.com/2011/10/02/beware-of-scratch-win-scam-around-jb-city-square-5-photos/
What do you do, when you see them?
AVOID THEM.
DO NOT ENGAGE THEM.
DO NOT TALK TO THEM.
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER OR FOOD THEY GAVE YOU.
AVOID THEM BY ALL MEANS.
Why? Because, I knew some one got blocked by three youngsters 2 weeks ago. She already knew these are scams. She is university grads. Yet, don't know why, after the youngster say, "Don't worry, let me help you scratch. Oh, you have WON!" She spoke to them, and then, this is where she kena the spell.
All the years, she has been avoiding these people. But that day, she thinks these people are "nice people". They are poor students trying to earn a living. They mean no harm.
Shefollowed one of the youngster back to the office in Taman Molek, and then fill in the forms, gave them the house phone number. It was on a Saturday.
Funny thing is, she did not tell anyone on Sunday. Not ever to her closest church friends. This is not like her. She has a lot of church friends. She is staying with her son. But she act like nothing happened on Saturday. She is definitely under a certain mind control drugs or some spell or curse.
On Monday, the youngster called her, and said that she can qualify to pick up more prices. There is also another draw, and they warn her that if she won a CAR (Toyota), then, she need to pay the tax immediately to the goverment. It is better for her to prepare the money before hand. Some how, she agrees.
Then, the youngster send a "security officer" to drive her to Singapore, and withdraw the money from POSB. The "security officer" is waiting at the carpark lot of course, watching her. She is clever, because she did not tell them how much she has in her bank.
And she withdraws S$7,000 from her POSB. It is more than what she has left in the bank (>60% of all her money in the bank).
then, the next thing you know, is she is so happy to bring back the following prices that she has won. But unfortunately, to win these expensive prices, you need to pay a little bit. Say S$6,500. She did not win the car though.
She told me that her friends also bought this expensive Jade bed. It cost about RM15,000-RM20,000. It is not actually a bed, but something that you cover on top of your bed, and you get to sleep on it. So, I did a serch on Taobao (淘宝), so, on average, these made in Korea Jade bed costs somewhere between S$150 to S$300.
According to that youngster, she won two of these bed. And it is worth more than RM15K a piece. By paying the S$6,500, she gets to keep one of the bed, and the youngster who is poor student from China, can try and help to help her to sell the bed, all he is asking is a small commission for living. He needs 3-5 weeks to sell the Jade bed.
By the way, she also won a leg massager that is worth RM$2K. All these items are items from a certain Direct Sales marketing scheme.
She also won a induction stove.
Lastly, she also won a water filtering system. All these items, after searching from Taobao, is very cheap items. But have been marketed at a high value here in Singapore, Malaysia.
And she paid for her winnings. She paid S$6,500 in total to collect these prices she won.
Wait a minute, if you have won these from lucky draw, why do you need to pay a single cents!!!! Thsi is precisely the problem, where she has been "brain washed" by them, thinking that she will earn back these money she has paid.
I called my friend who is a pharmacist. He told me that, it is possible to have such mind control drugs. It exists.
So, you cannot do anything about it. As there is a legitimate invoice, stating that, once the goods has been delivered, you cannot return it. And yes, it is a invoice, stating that you have paid S$6,500 for these items. You cannot do anything about it. This is willing seller selling goods to willing buyer at an agreed price. All the items has no descriptions. And "1 Unit of what for sale?". This is a big scam. And they are definitely going to come back to hit on her again!
Once I heard about this case, of course I am worried. This is what the son did....
1. Immediately drive her out from JB, and transfer all her money out of her control. So, set up a new POSB account and gave her the ATM card. That means, she can use the new ATM to take money, but she cannot withdraw money out at the cashier. One can use IC or Passpord to withdraw money at the bank counter for > $1,000. That is why she can withdraw S$7,000 at one shot. The son did that simply to protect her money. If she keep withdraw the money, the son will be notify.
2. Search the google to find similar case. Just enter "JB Scratch & Win Scam" or "JB 刮刮乐“, you will find many reports of similar case. And all of them somehow got con buying the same item as describe above. Print out all these news and let her read. Let her read that day. But her mind in blank towards these reports. Let her read later too. After the spell worn off.
3. Also, transfer what she has lost into the bank account. Out of good will, ask the son to give her $6,500 and put it safe in the bank. So that she wont felt guilty of losing the money. Since she has got all her money back in tact. Psychologically easier for the son to handle the situation.
4. Disconnect the home phone so that there is no way the crooks can call her. I think sometimes is hard, but need to try their best. You should not allow the crooks to call her again.
5. And wait for her to "wake up". There is nothing you can do at this stage.
6. Ask her not to sleep on the Jade bed. Keep the Jade bed. Scare that there are some spell cast on it. Or mind controlling powder.
7. Ask all siblings to say the same thing to her. Advise her. Care for her. Talk to her. Bring her back.
So, after 2-3 days later. She finally regained her concious. You will know this as she start calling her friends and tell them that she got con by these people.
She start telling her adventures to the churchs friends. And to her shocked, some of the church friends told her that, the scam has been around, and so far, the biggest case is S$100,000 scam. The daughter trying to talk to MCA about it. But it was useless. MCA says, you need to engage another powerful gangster to counter this scam that is controlled by a certain cult. By doing so, you need to pay the other party. So, there is no where you can get back the money.
Is the Police doing anything at all? No, there is no case, because it is a willing buyer and willing seller case. It is a legitimate buy and sell situation. So, I don't hink Police is going to be involve in this.
Usually, their target is Singaporeans. And it is always reported on the 晚报. But yet, according to the bank teller, the customs, the papers, yet, still every week got a few cases of these happening.
In my opinion, Malaysia governement should do something about this! It is destroying the tourism in Malaysia. With this kind of scams, more Singaporeans is scared of entering Malaysia. And what does the Malaysia government doing?
So, for those who travel back and forth in to Malaysia by bus, especially those who need to go near City Square. Please beware. They are inside and outside the mall. There are every where. Do not engage them, do not let them near you. Avoid them by all means. The one that has S$100,000 lost case, has her money locked in Fixed deposit, but yet, she went into the back alone, ask the bank teller to cancel the fixed deposit, and withdraw all the money. The bank teller ask, why withdraw so much? Could it be a scam? kena tipu? She said, nope, its for medical payment. Her case is to pay three chinese girls so that they can hire this magical doctor to cure her mysterious illness she did not even know.
So, be alert, be save. And Good luck to all. I am a Malaysian, and my mom live in JB too. And now you know, why I seldom go into JB. :)
