In a Facebook post by a concerned employer, Denise Han, you’ll see that the Singaporean mother expressed outrage at the amount their Filipina domestic helper paid for a phone screen protector in an alleged Lucky Plaza scam.
According to the Facebook post, her helper had gone to Lucky Plaza, which is also known sometimes as Little Philippines, to buy a phone screen protector at EZ Advance shop. Here is her post:
Here is the full text of Denise Han’s post (edited for clarity):
Must avoid EZ Advance Trading Enterprise at all costs!
This shop cheated our helper and ripped her off for $145 for a screen protector!
Our helper thought it’s $10 or $20 at most but the shop give invoice of $145 and pressurized our helper that everything is on CCTV and she has to pay up!
And my helper was afraid and did what they said.
Bloody disgusting shop! $145 is a lot of money for a domestic worker and they have to feed their entire family back home!
Shame on you #ezadvancetrading what can my helper do ???
My cousin just called them on 18th in the afternoon and they are really crappy with their response!
They said, “Rolex watch is watch. Patek Phillippe also watch. Quality matters. This is a good quality tempered glass too. Our tempered glass comes with free replacement, there’s a 1 year warranty.”
“$145 is a small sum.”
“It’s her word against my staff’s. How can you prove???”
“Cannot be you come in to buy a screen protector and you see me put it on for you and then you say you don’t want to buy.”
Return to my helper her hard-earned money!
According to Denise’s post, her helper had gone to Lucky Plaza and ended up inquiring about a phone screen protector at EZ Advance Trading Enterprises. What the helper initially thought was a $10 to $20 purchase for a tempered glass protector suddenly turned out to cost $145!
The shop in question, EZ Advance, put their address at #B1-70 Lucky Plaza.
The post said that the store staff allegedly drew up the invoice already, and pressured the domestic worker to pay the said amount or else.
Domestic helpers are easy prey for unscrupulous vendors using aggression and fear because the former are too scared to speak up in their own defence, thinking that there is a risk of losing their employment.
Pictures from Denise’s post showed that the glass already has a chip on the side of the mobile phone. Whether this is due to poor quality or some other reason, the post did not say.
Another curious thing about the receipt
When you scrutinise the receipt the shop allegedly gave the helper, you’ll notice that there is a passage at the bottom that does not allow for any sort of warranty, exchange, or return.
The wireless communication devices sold in the shop are also allegedly not allowed for use locally and only internationally.
Singapore law, however, requires businesses to provide refunds, exchanges and other compensatory actions when certain breaches have been proven to have happened in the sales transaction.
Not the first time this happened
Previously, a former shop owner named Jover Chew got sent to jail because of shady business practices.
Read about Jover Chew and his Lucky Plaza scam here.
On Trip Advisor, someone from Indonesia also posted of an experience getting ripped off in the same complex.
What do netizens say?
Here are some reactions from the Singaporean public online:
Some hypothesised that the stall staff was also Filipino.
We found one comment that had anything positive to say about the shop.
Some suggested a technique to get the most out of the $145 spent there.
Some have suggestions on where to report.
Some commenters may own their own shop and are dismayed at the turn of events.
While others found more fishy things going on with the receipt.
Others said to never buy from the place again.
Have you had a similar experience in Lucky Plaza? Or are you one of the blessedly lucky ones who always had good transactions? Let us know in the comments!
Read about this woman scammed for over $2000 on Ed Sheeran concert tickets!
Header image from Denise Han Facebook account.
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