Stop Scratch & Win Scammers

We think the law enforcement on scammers and default scammers is too weak and slow. Scratch (Scan) & Win scam is an offence under Consumer Protection Act 1999 but it is still active. We don’t think it is taken seriously enough in Klang Valley and other States in Malaysia. TTPM don't investigate and slow to apply for Court Order to summon and arrest default Scammers (being "Criminals"). Police can’t investigate civil case and any action by Court Order is a last resort.

As quoted from a news report in http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/8/5/southneast/4440935&sec=southneast :

“They come to us after lodging police reports. About 30% of them had obtained orders from the Consumer Claims Tribunal but still failed to get their money back,” said Kua at a press conference here recently.

“The amount of money involved is between RM3,000 and RM5,000, but there are victims who have lost larger sums,” he said, adding that the biggest sum was in a case in Kluang that involved RM110,000.

“The syndicates have about 50 branches nationwide. If each branch closes 10 deals of RM3,000 each a day, they make RM1.5mil,” he said.

True account of 2 victims:
One Saturday in March 2010, I was on my way to Monorail KL Sentral when a teenage Chinese boy approached me with a Celebration 2010 Mega Sale card. He claimed it was a Voucher card to buy from Midvalley. I refused to accept, and he told me there is no payment obligation, and his partner came to convince me. I opened the card and it stated Special Gift with a grey circle and 3 other electrical goods. They showed excitement and told me I have won a prize and to collect the prize on the spot with the first guy by cab. He gave me his Identity Card to hold as the guarantee. They also showed me the list of prizes including a car or holiday trip that I may win.

At their 1st floor office in Taman Danau Desa, I was brought to a room where a Chinese man and a Chinese lady in 20s showed me newspaper advertisements of winners with prizes sponsored by Genki. As I had won the mystery prize, I was asked to pay RM6300 in cash for government tax on 3 electrical goods, which I refused. They further convinced that I have nothing to lose because the cash prize RM8000 that I may win could offset to pay government tax. I asked if it is scanned to be plasma TV or jade mattress (also one of the prizes), how to convert to cash to pay them. The lady said she can help to find buyer for me with a condition to pay her commission. After withdrawing money, I was trapped so I surrendered my money and signed contract. After scanning, I won 2 jade mattress, worth RM4000 each and I brought them home with one of the electrical goods worth RM3598.

When I checked online about the jade mattress and electrical good that I won, they were sold as low as RM500 to 1300, and came across others complained of being cheated. The items I received were similar with theirs and distributed by Welley Corporation(M) S/B (see http://welleywatch.heritage-tech.net/31/uncovered-welley-corporation-scam-subsidiary-bonanza-marketing-sdn-bhd/). I also read the signs of scam on the internet, and it matched my experience. I had been conned. Immediately, I made police report, and brought the report to file at TTPM, the only authority to handle the scam case. Their promise to find buyer for the jade mattress within a week, was a lie.

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On October 2009, I was stopped by a salesgirl at Plaza Rakyat, Puduraya to open a card that has promotion discounts at selected hypermarkets. After I opened the card, I found that there was a grey spot in my card. She congratulated me and said that it indicated that I won a special prize and have to claim it immediately. She said I could win a car. At first I refused to do so as I was about to catch my bus at 4pm. But she kept on insisting me to go there immediately. Then, all of her colleagues came to congratulate me and said the minimum that I could win is RM7000. They kept on insisting me to go to their office, and left me no options but to listen as they said. They even asked me to show my bank cards to confirm that my cards have MEPS as they told me that the more money I have in the bank, the longer I would enjoy the free road tax. The sales girl that I met earlier stopped a taxi and asked me to follow her to her office at 2nd floor in Jalan Kuchai Lama to scan the card to find out what I have won.

Her boss introduced that they are an advertising company and explained the prizes that I might win. In return, I have to take a picture with the prize I win to promote their brand. I need to pay the government tax and delivery with a total of RM3800. He told me that I only be asked to pay for that once I receive the prize. Before scanning my prize, I was asked to pay partially because he needed to record the series number of the cash. Then the sales girl followed me to the nearest ATM to withdraw my money. Later, I handed the boss RM1500. I scanned my card and I won a valueless jade mattress instead. They did not return my money after that. I was cheated by the company.

I passed my Award from TTPM, but the Offender company has moved its location. To date, I have not received my Award money although I have complained to TTPM.