Friday, July 02, 2010
episode: -> phone scam. <-
it appears i am always somewhat involved in some sort of a phone scam.
internet/email scams regarding striking lottery, inheritance, and free gifts, worth up to millions of dollars.. etc etc.
are all nothing but bullsh!t. -_-"
SERIOUSLY.
i always ignored them + deleted them straight.
but.
phone scams calling straight into my mobile; i simply am unable to judge based only on the number displayed (caller id), who exactly issit calling.
thus i always ended up picking up such dubious calls.
(of course, not all unknown calling numbers are of shady and ambiguous origins)
especially when they are incredibly persistent and kept calling repeatedly, even after i either missed their calls or rejected their calls previously.
because i believe that it may be an urgent or important call of some sort (for the caller to keep trying to call back).
the most obvious phone scams are clearly surveys only conducted in CHINESE, in this dominant English-speaking Singapore community.
SERIOUSLY.
they are companies based in China, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.. etc etc.
they are doing a market survey to find out the consumer trend in Singapore.
they would be holding a/an exhibition/charity drive/lucky draw fair in Singapore, Johor Bahru (JB), and Kuala Lumpur (KL).. etc etc.
(please try to be present as you would be automatically entered into the lucky draw for chances to win fabulous prizes.. bullsh!t.)
these harmless surveys are done and over with, i don't really care.
these few days i am again involved in such an elaborate phone scam.
i am pretty amused actually.
because these phone scammers normally STOP calling me when they heard that i am a (POOR) student.
there is simply no money for them to scam! -_-"
this phone scammer, however, followed me through, even when i had already made it clear that i am merely an undergraduate, another (POOR) student.
it started out as an innocent dumb call asking to do a market survey of some cr@p i cannot remember.
she told me to try come down for a charity drive they are organising at Victoria Street/Raffles/City Hall (somewhere there) i cannot remember.
the charity event was held on 23rd June 2010.
she (don't know whether it is the same person or not) called back few days later to enquire whether i was present on the day of the event.
she then proceeded to introduce herself as 罗晶灵, a company representative of 华联 something i also cannot remember.
she congratulated me saying i was extremely lucky to have won a big prize from the lucky draw.
she didn't tell me what prize issit, but asked instead for my personal particulars to verify my identity.
whatever. -_-"
she called back again afterwards to congratulate me once again on winning the big prize, and that my identity is double-checked and verified to be the winner.
i have won myself a 15 days luxurious, all-expenses-paid tour trip to Europe, panning 7 countries (including Germany, Italy, France, and England.. etc etc.).
the trip will commence from Hong Kong, and i am to fly back and fro Hong Kong myself (at my own expenses) to participate in this Europe tour.
and i have to fly by the end of July 2010.
i can even bring along 3 other family members, and it is completely free! -_-"
alternatively, she said i can also forfeit the tour package offer, and exchange it for cash, by selling back to the company at a 20% discount rate.
i would be able to receive HKD$400,000 (original price: HKD$472,000).
when i told her i needed sometime to consider the offer, and i definitely have to ask my family whether they are interested in going.
she said instead, "i need time to do the necessary paperwork for you. have you told your family about our company, charity drive, and lucky draw? what would their likely response be if you suddenly break the news to them? i am sure you can decide for yourself whether your schedule allows you to go. because you definitely have to go, and this prize is non-transferable."
i told her to cash the prize then.
she said she will do the necessary paperwork and get back to me once the cash prize is ready.
then came the best part.
she ended the phone call with, "nowadays robbery, pickpocket, and burglary is very common. to safeguard your safety, your money, and your prize, please do not disclose the news of winning this prize to anybody, including your parents and friends. keep it to yourself until you have received your cash on hand, isn't that more secure then?"
that is by far the most ridiculous advice i have ever heard.
if i cannot even share the news with my family and loved ones, what is so happy about winning such a bullsh!t prize?!
SERIOUSLY BULLSH!T. -_-"
~ Beautiful Season ~