The Shocking Story Behind Chinatown’s Latest Scam Alert

Throughout the years, numerous reports have surfaced regarding scams targeting food and beverage establishments. Incidents include restaurants receiving fraudulent PayNow payment confirmations and a kopitiam stall owner who lost S$27,000 to a “customer” who never arrived, among other cases.

Recently, Melvin Chew, the proprietor of Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap, nearly became another victim when he received a call from an unfamiliar number. The caller attempted to deceive him into preparing ten packets of duck rice with additional ingredients.

While it is evident that some scammers exploit these situations for free meals, the underlying motivation behind this particular incident remains unclear. Was it sabotage, a personal grudge, or simply an act of mischief? It’s a puzzling scenario that leaves one wondering.

Mr. Chew recounted that upon answering the call and greeting the caller, he was met with an unsettling silence that lasted nearly five seconds. This prolonged pause raised his suspicions about the caller’s intentions.

Mr. Chew explained that the individual had not made any advance payment for his order, and he insisted that the customer come to his stall at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre before he would begin preparing the food.

The man refused this request, urging Mr. Chew to prepare his food first as he was pressed for time. After that, he abruptly ended the phone call. Mr. Chew recounted, “He never inquired about the total cost. When I asked what additional ingredients he wanted, he told me to decide for him.”

Following that conversation, Mr. Chew received multiple calls from the same number but chose not to answer. Eventually, he returned the call but got no reply. Mr. Chew reiterated, “He didn’t ask me what the total cost was. When I asked him what ingredients he wanted to add, he told me to make the choice.”

After receiving multiple calls from the same number without answering, Mr. Chew decided to return the call, but there was no reply on the other end. At that moment, he became convinced that he was the target of a scam. To alert others, he shared a screenshot of his call history in the Hawkers United – Dabao 2020 Facebook group, advising fellow hawkers to remain cautious about advance orders and to insist on payment before fulfilling any requests.

The post included the phone number: +65 8946 1932, which prompted messages from other group members informing Mr. Chew that this particular number had also been flagged by several individuals as potentially fraudulent.

Having nearly fallen victim to a scam himself, he expressed a sincere hope that the authorities would take consistent and decisive action against such offenders.

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