Part 1- MY STORY of what happened
Hi, my name is XXXXXX. I'm a 20 year old Malaysian student studying in the UK, I was back in Malaysia for the summer holidays. THursday, 9 August 2012- I was walking towards Sungai Wang's side entrance alone to do some shopping when a thin chinese young lady called Mimi (slightly older than me) approached me for a 'lucky draw'. I wasn't interested, but she persisted and I thought that it would be no harm to just tear it and go on my way as I wasn't in a hurry. Anyway, she told me I won (there was a silver circle with the words Super Bonus in the middle). She called her friend, also a young Chinese girl on the plump side and they took me on to a taxi towards their office. At that time I did not realize anything, I was like in a daze feeling very calm, and its like I just trust every word they said and did whatever they told me to do. She also helped me to wipe my sweat with a tissue in the taxi.
When we reach their office area, I was abit scared at the back of my mind as I did not know where we were. THey took me to Public Bank to withdraw cash but I had only RM 500 in my card. At that moment, I gave them a lot of personal information which I would not usually tell anyone. They found out I had my UK card on me which had my tuition fees for next semester amounting to 6000 pounds- RM 30000. Their office was at the top floor (19, Jalan 3/108c, Taman Sungai Besi, 57100). There was a chinese guy named Johnson (mid twenties to early thirties) who would talk to me, saying the money was for 'government tax', showed me newspaper clippings... I wasn't really paying attention to him actually, my mind was on getting out but it was like I couldn't get away from them until I finish what they wanted me to do. The office was quite empty, only one table and a few chairs, with two paintings on the wall.
THey got me to activate my UK card so I can use it in Malaysia (I had to call my mom to get my bank id number, they told me not to tell her anything and I didn't). We went to Public Bank again but only managed to withdraw RM 1000, we tried at RHB bank to no avail. So they decided to take me to buy gold. We tried a nearby goldsmith shop but they only took cash. So we took a taxi outside their office to Midvalley Poh Kong at the lowest floor. I ask the saleslady for gold chains between RM 9000- RM 10,000. We bought two gold chains, one abt 18 grams and the other 24 grams. I don't know how to explain my feelings but I started running when I got out, not really fast but it was like I was very scared. THey ran after to me and told me not to run anymore coz we would look suspicious. In the taxi, they realized that I had only bought rm 9000 (I don't know why, it was like I told myself not to let them have everything), they wanted all the money so they took me to OUG poh kong. I felt very frustrated and stressed. I started shouting at them in the taxi. BTW, this taxi was the same one that took us everywhere, it was parked outside the office. They calmed me down and then said that I was thirsty and needed some water.
So, one girl went to buy me water and the other went into Poh Kong with me. In there, we chose three gold chains amounting to RM 20100. I passed my bank card to the sales guy serving us when my friend called. I had a high school gathering that night, and he had called me before that, but I was speaking unclearly and gibberish, so he had called again. I wanted to tell him everything but it was like I couldn't get the words out. All I could say was like gold, I don't know what's going on, two chinese girls, come now and swearing. So the girl pulled me out of the shop and quickly called the other girl to come. I demanded the address where I was from them, they refused to give to me. When we went back in, Poh Kong refused to do business with the excuse that mine is a foreign card and they can't do the transaction.
Then, outside the shop I started to make a scene. I told them I don't want to buy any more things, buy anymore gold, so they took me back to the office. In the office, I continuously demanded for the address, I tried to go out of the room right at the end, but they would always tell me to go back in. Anyway, before that they had told me that I would buy gold for them and in return they would give me the money (don't ask me why but it made sense in that frame of mind), so they took the gold. But at the same time, they were telling me to sign a contract- which states that if i don't receive any of the 'prizes' listed below which includes cars, travel trips and stupid jade mattress, that I would receive a compensation of RM 24.000. Then, after that they gave me some circle thing to turn on the silver circle where I would see the number of the prize I won. After doing that, it was like i was slightly more conscious, and I 'won' the stupid Keoyoung Jade mattress (not that I have anything against that brand), they also gave me a receipt- they asked for my IC number to copy my details on the receipt (so they know where I live TT), i practically threw my wallet at them.
I started to cry and demand my RM 10,000 for my tuition fees, I felt like a baby again. They tried to pacify me and claimed the mattress cost RM 25,000 and they would help me sell it within two days if I was willing to pay them a commission and would receive RM 19,000 in the end. Then they gave me their contact numbers.
THere is something I must emphasize, throughout everything, I had accuse them many times of being scammers. And I told myself to get my IC number, the place address, a copy of the stupid contract I signed and also the taxi's license plate, they would ALWAYS talk to me or something and then it was like after that I forgot. And they never let me out of their sight, at least one girl would always be beside me holding my hand/ arm (I am touch paranoid usually, I do not allow people I do not know to come in contact with me). But it was like I trusted them completely.
Then they pack me off with the mattress into the same taxi to SUnway pyramid, on the way, I saw the main road address and took it down. When i reached the shopping mall, I felt like when I was 4 years old and I just lost my mom in a supermarket. I dragged the mattress to the nearest toilet near MNG, and I started to have a mini panic attack, I was so scared, so lost and confused. I called my friend, I was like I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW, QUICKLY COME. When he arrived, he told me to report to the police, somehow (me being stupid again, not proud of this moment), I defended them and was like maybe its not a scam, lets wait till Saturday. He looked at me in shock, 'Rachel, you're starting to make me believe in all this bomoh shit, you just gave them RM 10,000'. So we reported to the sunway police station- they told us to wait for the detective to call, but at that time, I was still abit in a daze, I was very pale and tired.
When I reached home, the first thing I did was to check online how much a mattress like this cost, I found a lot other victims scammed like me, and my mom walked into my room at the same time. I cried like never before, releasing the whole day's tension out and told her what happened. The next morning, when I woke up- only did I 'fully awaken'.
Part 2- What we did next
The next day, we went to Poh Kong Midvalley and Poh Kong OUG, we talked to the staff, telling them what had happened. They all recognized me lol. THe OUG branch manager said that yeah, we look quite suspicious yesterday and confirmed my suspicion that they purposely refuse to sell to us. We were very grateful, both Poh Kong branches said they couldn't give us a copy of the cctv clips and they can only release it if the police asks for it. THen, we went back to the office I got cheated, at first we weren't sure where it was exactly, we went inside a nearby shop to ask. THat was when I saw him- Johnson. I told my mum, we came out, he saw us and started to make a phone call, we also pretended like we were making a phoone call. He was scared of us, we were scared of him. Then the shop guy came out and was like, "ooh the scams- it must be the shop a few doors away, last week the police raided the place". We went towards there, my mom told me to wait in the car, and she talked to the mechanic shop ppl next to it. They confirmed that there was a police raid the week before and that they always bring people up to scam. We called the Sunway police, who referred us to the Tun HS Lee police station who referred us to Salak South who referred us to the consumer association.
As I would be returning to UK soon, we wouldn't be able to wait for a court date. So someone suggested we ask Sin Chew newspaper for advice as they had covered an article on scams like this before, someone then told us to go to the political parties- DAP was the nearest. We went there, the legal advisor said that there's nothing much to do as this people are very clever, making this whole thing look like a buy and sell transaction- where I bought a jade mattress for RM 10,000??? and I got a pink receipt without even a company's name. He said the best he can do for us is a press conference where we can alert the public.
Hence, we did it and below in the pictures are the newspapers that have published this.
http://www.orientaldaily.com.my/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=20285:&Itemid=114
Forums and blogs of other victims stories (the last two is very interesting as the victim's bf actually posed as a victim again):
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1002003/+1300
http://www.alantanblog.com/scam/beware-of-scratch-and-win-scams/
http://cforum6.cari.com.my/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=2632343
http://www.jbtalks.cc/viewthread.php?tid=1130790&extra=&page=1
http://miniliew.blogspot.com/2012/03/jb-scam-it-real.html
http://pengpengstories.blogspot.com/2012/06/scratch-and-win-scam.html
http://pengpengstories.blogspot.com/2012/06/scratch-and-win-14512-part-2.html
http://www.chinapress.com.my/node/329111 (this news article says where they usually operate)
http://www.guangming.com.my/node/142853?tid=3 (their punishment- SO LIGHT)
I just want to urge everyone to be careful as this can happen to both guys and girls, and I was an idiot to be walking alone. But, don't even go out in pairs only especially girls, as the other victims' stories show that it can also happen to two people.
They tend to target students and old people, and they wait near train stations (popular places: Sungai Wang, midvalley and KL central), besides KL, this is also happening in Ipoh and Johor, they choose places where there are taxis waiting for customer, so they can make their way immediately to their nearest office.
This people not only make use of your greed but also your kindness, they use lucky draws and charity as well. If they can't get you to be interested in the prize, they will look pathetic and make it seem like you would be doing them a favor. Just ignore them and don't let your guard down.
No comments:
Post a Comment