Ive been no stranger to dispute cases in SIM LIM SQUARE. Theres been a lot of news reports about them for the past week, and I am absolutely loving it. Not that I love how they carry out their dishonest business, but its good to see that this has finally caught the attention of the nation. It really has to stop. If I could provide a basic explanation of how they operate, 1) first they offer you the product, say, for $500. 2) when you agree, they make you sign a document (which they will later on use against you, saying that you have already acknowledged the transaction and they are unable to give you a full refund). 3) The transaction is made, usually by card. 4) They then reveal that in addition to $500 for the product, they have also credited you additionally (usually a ridiculous amount) for stuff such as warranty and even made-up charges like unlocking fee. This fee is usually twice the amount you agreed on, so lets say you have now already paid them $1400. 5) You are obviously outraged, and demand a refund, but no, you already signed. 6) You either agree with the transaction of $1400 and walk out with the product, or, 7) You can give them back the product, but pay a cancellation fee of say $700. Which means they refund you $700 out of the $1400. Which also means they gain the other $700 and still keep the product. The order and method may vary slightly, but this is the general flow of things. The numbers are also usually bigger. Who do they target? Mostly clueless tourists. They will always act friendly by asking where are you from, how long are you staying here for? When are you going back? These are actually useful info for them. See, when an errant dealing occurs, victims can lodge a complaint to Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE). (There is actually even a small booth at the malls information counter, prepared just for you to lodge a report. The security guard will even assist you.) Most likely, Small Claims will order a refund for you. But such processes take a bit of time, and tourists who are here for a holiday are unlikely to pursue this, as they have to return to their home countries and it would be too much of a hassle to do anything further. Having said all these, it is important to know that not all shops in SLS operate in this manner. Typically, such errant shops are located on the first and second floor. To be safe, just look out for the STAR RETAILER posters. The shops with these posters (either on the wall or on the floor in front of the shop) are verified to be of assured quality and service. simlimsquare.sg/star_retailer.php In addition, there are also notices around, like at the lift lobbies or the mall entrances that indicate the number of complaints lodged against a certain unit for the past month or so. Although its only become a hot topic now, this has been going on for the longest time, and Ive seen so many ppl in distress, sometimes even to the point of tears. They almost always end up saying things like I thought this was a safe country, or even Im never coming back to Singapore again. Dont let these dishonest scumbags represent us. Lets raise the awareness. Whether it be by the power of the authorities, or power of the people, I hope that things will get better at Sim Lim Square.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 12:49:26 +0000
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