China – Traps & Scams – real life experience…

[just4fun]

Just another annoying encounter in china during CNY...

I travelled to anhui for holiday during CNY...and was supposed to come back to suzhou on 3 feb (6th of the lunar calendar)... but the problem is there is no proper bus station (i.e. those government runned bus station) in the small town of anhui...so I LL boarded a "black coach" that on 1pm...When i boarded the bus...the stupid fellow insisted that I pay first and promised me that the coach will depart by 2.30....

I waited...and waited....and waited.....until 4.30 and was damn pissed off so I confronted the bus owner....and his reply was that we need to wait for another to come back first b4 we can leave....knn

I tot of alighting the bus and re-check in to a hotel and leave the next day...but coming to think of it....I will suppose to go thru the same shit again the next day....I endured....

Finally the bus left at 7.30pm which mean that i had waited for 6.5 hrs liao.... pissed off to the max......

Normally...a bus journey from that place to suzhou will take abt 4-5hrs....but my journey was more than 8 hrs...and finally I reached suzhou at 4.30 am....and to my utmost astonishment...my luggage at the coach compartment went missing.... knn....

I f*** that joker upside down and the bus owner just act blur as if nothing happened... Finally I resigned myself to fate...

Wat a CNY for me.....

[PuTonRen]

Dear Brothers,

Let me recount one incident that happened last year when I was in France. I called up my friend (let us call him JY) for a chat, but he said he was pre-occupied with his brother (whom I know, let is call him JJ). He could meet me on the next Saturday morning only. We met on the agreed time and date, and after some exchanges of greetings and news about each other, he started to tell me what had happened to his brother, JJ. The incident is relevant to this thread and that is why I am posting this real-life incident here.

About 18 months ago, my friend's brother JJ, who is a good musician, a member of the prestigious Paris Musical Society (the name of which I cannot recall), met a girl from PRC (let us call her NN). NN was then studying music in the college where JJ was a teacher. JJ found that NN did have some talent in violin, and started to pay more attention to her. Later, JJ started to give her extra lessons, and NN was not bad looking (according to my friend JY). Later, JJ and NN got more intimate, and NN moved in with JJ. For this doing, NN saved money in rentals, foods and extra music lessons, etc. The ultimate objective of a musical student in Paris is to be admitted as a member of the said Musical Society. For admission, the candidate has to be good in him/herself, and must be proposed and voted in by existing members. Two months ago, NN started to pester JJ to help her in the admission to the Musical Society. Of course, JJ agreed, he became the proposer and he started campagning for NN amongst his friends. Two weeks ago (from the time I met JY), NN was admitted. Both were very happy, and they had a celebration, with JY and family members joined in.

The next morning, when JJ woke up, he found that NN had gone missing, He searched for her everywhere, until he found an one-line note which said (pardon me for my translation, not too good in French) "Now that I am a member of the Musical Society, I am leaving you". The note was without a word of appreciation nor regret. JJ was badly hit, and had become very depressed with sucidal tendency. As JJ and JY are very close, JY decided to take JJ to his apartment in Paris and looked after him.

Talking about PRC girls (although not all of them) being ruthless.

I have also experiencing incidents whereby a girl who was very close and initimate to me today, and went completely the other way the next day after having confirmed that she had met a richer man.

I do not generalise, and still believe that the above are independent cases, however, we can never be too careful. Never show your last or hidden "card" to any of them.

My 2 cent worth.


PTR

[sbfpolis]

Bro PTR,

I concur with your story. The PRCs are very objective and practical. They need you, they stick to you. Once you have no use to them, they will abandon you.

[Gentle Beast]

Bro PTR

Thanks for sharing. Wonder if the word 'Conscience' exists in their dictionary? How about ethics, moral? Haiz, sad.

Cheers!

[PuTonRen]

Dear Bro Gentle Beast,

They are Goal Oriented! I think they are the best practioners of MBO - Management by Objectives. For companies adopting MBO, they can learn from our PRC cousins.

My personal experience with a North Easterner taught me that they are ruthless and they can turn their coat in the shortest possible time. I was then wondering, in addition to the words that you have kindly pointed out, whether the word 'feeling" is in their dictionary. Two days ago, she could say "Our hearts are linked together by love", at the present instant, she could just turn her head away for better "posture." I have to admit that I was naive. Since then, whatever they say to me or do whatever kind things to me, would be forgotten immediately. It is safer that way. My advice to brothers here is to exercise extreme care, do not throw in your emotion or feeling before having a better understanding of the partner. Otherwise, your feeling would be wasted in a "Feeling Incinerator" and disappear without any trace.

Those brothers who know me personally would understand fully what I meant as you have been told.

Again, my 2 cent worth, and thank you all for reading the true account of a sad incident. My humble posting shows that not only we are hit, even the "Ang Mo", and in this case, French could be hit too.

PTR

[Faidenk]

And to think that with so many posts, dedicated threads even, on the dangers dallying with the PRCs, there are still so many willingly stepping into the lion's den, blissfully ignorant of the dangers or not...

An ex-colleague of mine, let's call him Alex, was posted to Beijing as country manager. He's in his early 50s and I suspect, not much of a cheonger in his younger days, his wife being a pretty domineering type. Anyway, a mutual acquaintance met him for dinner to welcome him to Beijing and brought along a lady friend he was hoping to bonk. From what little I heard, she's tall and slim but although not really that pretty, does exudes a certain charm. I lost track of them but recently I heard Alex lost his job because of her. He had hired her as secretary, flew her to Singapore, and holidayed in Thailand, Vietnam on company's expense. Word had filtered back to headoffice she was totally inadequate for the job and she was fired. In protest, Alex resigned and stayed behind in Beijing with her. Word is that he'd just been dropped and she is now with living with another businessman, only now she doesn't even need to go through the pretense of work as a kept woman. He, on the other hand, felt betrayed, but is he really?

Alex thought he'd it all figured out, he got the company to pay his mistress's expense. He had, you know, the cake and eat it as well. It might have worked if she could perform in the office as well as she did in bed.

So who's the victim here?

[Hommer]

Well, storys like that seems to happen everyday in China....

I was lucky when I was outstation in Beijing last year. I met a couple of colleuages in my BJ office, now we are the best of friends...

When I was there, they brought me to a local KTV a few times, there been one of the few "outsiders" they see, I was the luckiest guy around, all the gals seems wanting to seat with me. Finally settle down to one North Eastener, she is not that pretty, she has the charms. I practically meet up with her almost everyday, I paid for everything she bought and even give her an "allowance". Soon, we came to a point that she offer to bonk with me FOC and she suggested that inorder for me to show her my heart to her and for we have a "real" relationship, I should stay back and take care of her...

In my mind, was like maybe I should divorce my wife and be "permantly" outstation in BJ. After all being outstation, I'm living like a expat in Singapore, the company will take care of my everything. Soon I discussed with my China manager, after he learnt of it, he sat me down and called my colleuage. Both of them tried to talk me out of the dumb idea...

At first, I thought they don't want me here because I will take their rice bowls. Soon, they painted me the right picture...

After the intial shock, we settle down... and plotted our revenge against her. I also knew the mamasan there and she always take care of me.. (she said must leave a good impression for friends from overseas)... Anyway, to cut a long story short, the guys confronted her in the KTV while I was in the "toilet"... The mamasan followed me in, when we came in, the gal tried to conner me and "attack". But the mamasan told her off. Although they are here to make money, they should not destory other ppl's life. She stood up and sent the gal away and got me a better one...

Nowadays, whenever I go back there to BJ, I always buy something for my buddies and the mamasan... When ever I think back, I was very lucky, I nearly pawn all my stuff and divorce my wife just to be with a gal that wanted my monies only....

And the mamasan always advice me of her gals character, telling me be friends, OK, but give up my life just for the gals there... So I befriended one of them and I still get my bonks free... (But I always pay up one.. )

[Hommer]

Well, storys like that seems to happen everyday in China....

I was lucky when I was outstation in Beijing last year. I met a couple of colleuages in my BJ office, now we are the best of friends...

When I was there, they brought me to a local KTV a few times, there been one of the few "outsiders" they see, I was the luckiest guy around, all the gals seems wanting to seat with me. Finally settle down to one North Eastener, she is not that pretty, she has the charms. I practically meet up with her almost everyday, I paid for everything she bought and even give her an "allowance". Soon, we came to a point that she offer to bonk with me FOC and she suggested that inorder for me to show her my heart to her and for we have a "real" relationship, I should stay back and take care of her...

In my mind, was like maybe I should divorce my wife and be "permantly" outstation in BJ. After all being outstation, I'm living like a expat in Singapore, the company will take care of my everything. Soon I discussed with my China manager, after he learnt of it, he sat me down and called my colleuage. Both of them tried to talk me out of the dumb idea...

At first, I thought they don't want me here because I will take their rice bowls. Soon, they painted me the right picture...

After the intial shock, we settle down... and plotted our revenge against her. I also knew the mamasan there and she always take care of me.. (she said must leave a good impression for friends from overseas)... Anyway, to cut a long story short, the guys confronted her in the KTV while I was in the "toilet"... The mamasan followed me in, when we came in, the gal tried to conner me and "attack". But the mamasan told her off. Although they are here to make money, they should not destory other ppl's life. She stood up and sent the gal away and got me a better one...

Nowadays, whenever I go back there to BJ, I always buy something for my buddies and the mamasan... When ever I think back, I was very lucky, I nearly pawn all my stuff and divorce my wife just to be with a gal that wanted my monies only....

And the mamasan always advice me of her gals character, telling me be friends, OK, but give up my life just for the gals there... So I befriended one of them and I still get my bonks free... (But I always pay up one.. )

[FOCH]

Been hit once, and then decided NEVER to trust anyone at Airports, PRC, Indians, Malaysians or even Singaporeans.

It was also Don Muang Airport. A young PRC girl approached me just after I had checked-in and about to go through Customs. The stupid thing is that we still have to pay Airport Tax through the Machine and not included in the ticket charges.

She came with the story of her mother and her being stranded and so on and so forth, so I had about spare change of 1000 Baht, soft hearted so gave her. Of course the usual pay me back and send money and contact through email and all the crap. Ended up, nothing heard. I just wrote off the amount, although it could have contributed to a good massage, but topping up a couple of more thousand bahts.

Anyway, because of business, went back to Bangkok again. This time, the same scam, and I just spoke to them in Thai, "Don't worry, I take you to Police" and then english, the same thing, they refused and walked away.

Hence, I tend not to believe anyone at Airports anymore, and even went with a few to the various counters, Tourist Helpdesk, Visitors Counter, etc. and some just turned and disappeared, whilst the others, might be genuine, stayed at the places, and probably received some form of assistance.

Perhaps, for all Brothers out there. If you have the time, (unlike me, always rushing to catch the plane) you could bring these so-called Distressed Tourists to the Airport, Tourist, Visitors' counters where they could receive some form of assistance, if they ever needed any in the first place.

[imkaa]

Just Sharing with bros here on a recent scam that happen to us: -

We are a design professional firm in Singapore, specialising in designing residential building - apartment and condo...etc.

Around November last year one of my staff recieved a called from a so called project manager in China from Anhui / Hefei telling us that he was we were recommended by some one which they never could tell us exactly and that they are developer in Hefei and would like to engage our design services. They asked if we could send them our fees proposal for their consideration.

I really did want to take this on but since my associates was very keen on expand our work scope so I thought what the heck let him try it out and prepare a fee proposal, for a change, a learning / exercise for him. So after we preapared the proposal with for our services and with the project being relatively large our fees was in the region of $500K singapore, which would be consider relatively cheap compare to other larger international company. Part of our requirement was that we would required a 10% down payment prior to us starting any work.

To our complete surprised they called us back within a couple of day and told us that after the committee and chairman have throughly went through our proposal they are happy to accept our fee proposal and wanting us to urgently come to Hefei to sign the contract, and subsequently yhe deposit would be transfer to our account for us to start the work.

It sound too good to be true, as normally we would ahve to compete with many other company for a job of this side, thought our experience was uo there with the top but we are relatively young and smaller so....it was a bit hard for us to decide what to do. Being around many part of the world and having seen and experiences many scam 1st hand I was sceptical of committing ourself. Still one could not help want to to know whether this was true or not and how far it would go....given the remote chance that it was for real it was worth the short for a 500K fees which would be able to support our company for 2 years ....

Taking the worse scenarios into consideration that may be nothing would come out of this and that we could be wasting our money travelling there, in the worse scenarios it would just be a travelling expereince for us as we have yet been to China / Hefei.

We booked our ticket to Hefei going via Guangzhou, toward end of Decemeber with the understanding that they would make arrangment for our accommodation in Hefei.

Prior to us leaving the project manager called us and told us that if we would not mind buying fro them some Cuba cigar at the duty free as a gift to their chairman from them and they would reimburse us with the money, as Cuba cigar was hard to get in Hefei. Now at the airport. Cuba Cigar range from S$50 to $500 for a package of 20s, we knew nothing of cigar and decided that both safer and less costly if we can would buy one for around $100 and would just have that as a gift to them and not asking for reimbursement; we also bought 2 bottles of gold lable Johnny Walker (75 cm around $80 Sin each, as additional gift)

We arrived in Hefei at around 8PM on 27th Decemeber 2005, and was picked up by their staff, the project manager in an old model audii with a driver, both were relatively well dressed. After all the formal introduction and how happy and glad they were and thank us for coming over they brough us to a 4star hotel in Heifei....I was little surprised that the hotel did not seem to have room reserved for us but more as a walked in....as I was not able to speak any Mandarin, I just let it slide...My associates was well verse with Mandarin and act as my interpretor. I was asked for my credit card at the hotel..which is normal in case you would use or damage any item in the room.

After checking into our room the project manager stayed in our room for about an hour or so talking and with us about their company, and god know every other topic under the sun..from soccer to geography...etc.. he was very friendly and seem to be well inform, read...we also contacted his superior who spoke to my asscociate over the phone again thanking us for turning up and that he look forward to meeting us the next morning.

The project manager joined us for breakfast (which we have to invite him to do so as the bill was going into our room account). After the breakfast the project manager took us via taxi to their office. It was an older building in the central area that appear to be going through some renovation. It didn't look like a suitable place for a multi-million dollar development compnay to be in, so my mind already develop some doubt but .....then again lots of the building in Hefei was old and that they said that were 70% state won and that the government may not want to look so flashy...like the private developer.

We arrived at the higher floor and enter a small meeting room that was sparly decorate, with some leather / pvc seat, a coffee table and some plague on the wall in chinese. We were told to wait for the chairman to arrived. Shortly after the chairman arrived together with the deputy director, director of finance and another director of some sort....all was very well dressed and well mostly in their late 40s and 50s...so really they look and dress the part.

After the brief intro..we than presented our company profile via a power point presentation off my lab top and they were suitably impresed and said that we were what they look for...someone not too big but is qualified and have the experience..and thus less politic as they were looking for more hands on people...we presented them with our expanded fees proposal and contract all in English and asked them to throughly goes through it prior to signing and or let us know. They inform us that they would go through it and let us know prior to us leaving in 2 days.

We greet and said good bye and headed back to our hotel for a short break and to head out to have a look at their plot of land and some other developmen tlocally to give us a better idea...these people was dress the part and talk the talk....they seem to be knowledgable with our industry and thus more believable...but it all the small detail that seem to be small but added up.. to be cont!

[junior_cannibal]

After reading all the scams and stuff, the saddest thing that I feel is - being cheated once or more has made most of us cautious towards anyone that approach us for a favour. Despite the fact that among these people, they could be those genuninely needed help we have written off due to our past experience. As for me, I would depend on the situation and my affordability, my belief is - within my affordability, I may help, not with the intention to get back, especially in the case of a outright lending of money. There was once a ktv mm who asked me for some money, claimed to be for some emergency in her family, told me she would return to me as soon as when she returned from her hometown. Sounds familiar? After months thereafter, she never did. At the end, I sent her a sms, telling her don't bother to pay back coz if she thought by cheating this money would make her rich, I wished her well. I used to ask for her company whenever I was in her joint, tipped her more than what was the so called market rate, simply because I liked her company, though I had never bonked her.

To a certain extent I can comprehend with these Chinese mm in terms of the push and pull factors why they tend to 'cheat' on us. I believe some of the bros would know the living standard of a regular PRC and the widening gap between the rich and the poor in China, due to the liberalisation of the country. If they want a better lifestyle yet not capable of making it out of a regular mean, they will find some other not so proper ways of making it. In fact, not to demean any PRC, be it man or woman, I told some of the bros that most PRC mm if not all, that are not too bad looking, along the way somewhere in their life would go into vices, be it ktv, prostitutes or becoming mistresses.

Just a little bit of my personal experience and observation. Cheers.

JC

[imkaa]

That afternoon the project manager could not make it so he another staff was assigned to take us out as planned. He brought us to a site...huge piece of land...no fence and no signage bit adjacent to other up and coming development and told us that it was their and that they are also in negotiation with the owner of the adjacent block to buy over as part of their phase two.

Now it was an eye openner for us to see so much development in Hefei....who could ahve imagine...it like 1000 units...2000 units development...and like hundreds of these going up at the same times in different location...we saw it as a place that have lots of potential.

He than brought us to one development which supposed to be the most sort after...and funny enough was name Singapore Garden with the similar concept to that of tang jong rhu area accross from the kallang river..with lots of small tile roof. Now it was rather impressive..and the development was huge...

After that we went back to the hotel, the project manager joined us that evening for dinner and than stick around our room talking...god know everything under the sun. He was very comfortable staying in our room...and would not seem to want to leave...he than told us that his superior would be coming over to see us later after some other meeting...at the same times his superior did called us and told us that he was held up and would see us soon. It was getting closer to 10PM so I told him that well maybe it does not matter and that his superior can see us the following morning...but he insist that his superior would be at our room soon..

at around 10:30PM the deputy director came..after some greeting and other..small talk he pop the question of what sort of commision we would give him for making this arrangement and help it through smoothly. Now it did not came to me as a surprise..so getting straight to the point I told him via my associate interpreting that we would be happy to share 10% of whatever our fees was as a gift / commission for their assistance. He asked that were 10% for both or each of them...I confirmed that 10% was all and it is up to them to do with what they want with it...as who would know how many...of them you would have to deal with. To my surprised he told us that we were every generous and that he would accept 5% and hoping for a longer working relationship...I insisted on giving them 10% and let them deal with whatever.

Now come the question - when will we give him that money?..so I told him the only way we can give him that is only after we got paid and that on our next trip we would pass that to him...it seem that he was hoping that we would give him something there and than..1st...but recided to accept our explanation.

As part of the plan they were to brought us out to see their previous project. On the way the gentlement from the the day before point to us some project older project and told us that it was done by them, and that mostly are older and that it was not much point for us to see it, instead he brought us to see some more current one doen by other as an example. It was good for us to see what was happenning around Hefei..sort of like a tour guide.

We arrived back at the hotel and shortly after got a called from the deputy director that the chairman would come over and sign the contract in our room as he have some other business in the afternoon and as we were leaving that evening they want it to be sort out before we leave for Singapore.

He the whole gang arrived at our room, including the project manager, the chairman, the account in charge (a lady) the finance director and our tour guide. We sat down after asking how we feel about the prospect of working together and telling us that they were excited about it, we went throught the formal signing of the contract, with their company chops and all and I was embarassed that I did not ahve a pen with me there and then and that the chairman pulled out a monte blanc pen for me to use and sign.. (it could have been fake.. ) who to know..I was impressed.

While we were seating there the deputy director pulled my associate into the toilet for some talk, which after my associate told me that he inform us that we should buy some gift for the chairman and the finance account lady, to thank them and also so that they could help speed the process along. They gave us a form to fill in with our account detial and all for the transfer of the deposit. We did have that detail so we told them that we would email and or fax that to them once we are back to Singapore. I was a bit puzzle with the talk in the toilet while we were sitting there....a bit blatan

The deputy director than told us that we should bring all the people (4 of them) there to lunch while the chairman and him have to go some where else for another meeting. As we were not familar with the local scene..we left it for them to recommend and ended up at the hotel chinese restaurant with a private room...food and drink was served and the bill came to around $200 S which was again put on the room tab. to be cont.

[imkaa]

After the dinner the finance direct was supposed to tell us what to buy as gift for the chairman and the finance account lady. We came back to our room and have a short discusion which include they asking how much money we have as gift, at that point I have already decided that this is more likely a scam..and that I would be more alert. Thought we carried a bit of cash I told my associate to tell them that we didn't have much. to our surprise they insisted that they can bring us to a local bank to draw out from our credit card...I play along and we sat in a taxi heading for the bank..upon getting to the bank I aasked my associates to check with them exactly how much of an amount as gift that we are looking at and the reply was that around $3000 S for the chairman and $1500 S (half) for the finance lady..which would added up to $4500.

Thought we carried that much I told my associate that I have already used up my credit card limits with my recent trip to BKK and that we only got what we have in Chinese currency there and than as gift which was about $300S. Seeing that they were not able to get anymore cash out of me as I was starting to look very annoyed...they said o.k. and would bring us to carefour to buy gift voucher instead of money.


The waiting at carefour for the voucher was long and since were only about 2hr from having to head out to the airport I told my associate that we can forget about the voucher idea, I want to head back to the hotel and we can pass them that money and they can buy what ever they want for the chairman and his lady. We went back to our hotel room, with me short of throwing a tantrum...and still the project manager and the finance directlor would not leave our room, I told them that I want to get relax, get change and get ready for my departure...but to our surprised these guys would play dumb and sat there waiting for us to apck and take us to the airport, I knew that the airport was only a 15 min ride away and we got like 1 1/2 hrs still they insist that traffic jamb etc..that they want to see us to the airport.

At that point they also asked if my associate would join the project manager to bring the money over to the chairman and his lady. I instructed my associate not to, and told them that I did not want to be late or any trouble at the airport. But really I scent some potential danger of separating with my associate, both of us were in a place where we know no one, I can speak the language and it was only a couple of hour to our fly so it would be an ideal, kidnap come blackmail scenarios...Like I said I seen lots..and can be consider a bit paranoid by some people at times in situation like this....but I was not to take that chances..as I was responsible to my staff safety as well..

We settled the hotel bills..which all were out of my credit card including our room and headed in a taxi to the airport, took us 15 min..we were still about 1hr ealier than our check in time. Siad good bye to the project manager..he told us they looking for us to our return and working with us. At that point we already have it in our mind that it was a scam and just playing along..and wanting to get out safely.

In the mid of rushing I left a pair of shoe back at the hotel..and to prove the point..we went back to the hotel to get my shoe..headed back to the airport and still have 15 min...to have our coffee prior to our check in time.

Shortly after we arrived back in Singapore, the following day checking my mail we recieved a warning from our local professional institute to us inform that such scam was around and that there was a lot of Singapore firm were being targetted by a few group to different location of China and that a few of the other firm must have gone through the exact same ordeal to be able to inform / tell such an detail account of what happen which matched our experience..and further that after coming back to Singapore they have tried to contact these firm / project manager without any reply.

To sum it al up: -

They were very professional, well organised, walk the walk, talk the talk and and appeard to have being in the industry, seening the potential of many Singaporean firm wanting to tap into the China market, they set up these scam to target professional...it was a very well organised scam, one that due to the working method in China with under the table, good will etc...it would be ahrd to fault them or even to prosecute them as it would all fall under potential....work.

For us it did ended up costing us in all about $3500 included our air ticket, hotel accommodation and well the meal and gift etc....it was a well worth cost to paid for the experience and travelled and tour guide that we got and a good intro..to working in China be it real or fake...

Cheers

[PuTonRen]

Originally Posted by imkaa

To sum it al up: -

They were very professional, well organised, walk the walk, talk the talk and and appeard to have being in the industry, seening the potential of many Singaporean firm wanting to tap into the China market, they set up these scam to target professional...it was a very well organised scam, one that due to the working method in China with under the table, good will etc...it would be ahrd to fault them or even to prosecute them as it would all fall under potential....work.

For us it did ended up costing us in all about $3500 included our air ticket, hotel accommodation and well the meal and gift etc....it was a well worth cost to paid for the experience and travelled and tour guide that we got and a good intro..to working in China be it real or fake...

Cheers

Well done brother, to have shared your precious experience with us, I am saddened also by your loss of $3500. However, I think you had to pay a fees to learn the experience first hand. After having been here for more than 10 years. It is sad for me to witness some of our compatriots, despite of the warning from my Singaporeans friends and yours truly, still went on and fell for the scheme. Remember that some Singaporeans even fell for the schemes such as "You have won the jack-pot prize of a National Lottery; Need help to transact some illegal inheritance; transporting money dyed black and need to buy special chemical to revert the bank notes back to original ones, etc....

You are absolutely right to say that they do know that many Singaporean companies would like to tap into China market, and the Chinese are good in setting up the strong pull-factor to lure us in the their scheme. You can never be too cautious.

It was indeed your good thinking that you had refused to be separated from your associate. It was indeed a soft-kidnapping scheme that I have heard of several times.

Singaporeans should learn to be less dogmatic. We cannot no longer assume that we are better than the Chinese in doing business. Nevertheless, we should continue to engage them with cautions. In my works in China, when the deal appears to be too sweet, an alarm flag would be raised.

Thank you once again for the detail account of a scam. I sincerely hope that our compatriots would always exercise caution.

With best regards

PTR

[Sinoview]

Originally Posted by imkaa

They were very professional, well organised, walk the walk, talk the talk and and appeard to have being in the industry, seening the potential of many Singaporean firm wanting to tap into the China market, they set up these scam to target professional...it was a very well organised scam, one that due to the working method in China with under the table, good will etc...it would be ahrd to fault them or even to prosecute them as it would all fall under potential....work.

Wow...this is a very well "organised" scam. Luckily, u have the preset mindset that this is a possible scam... thus u avoided from falling deeper.... Consider this as "fortunate" for you n yr company to escape with min damages...

Small scams are present in China every where... Like those selling hand phones and notebook (lap top computers). They are 100% scam. Why should they take the trouble to spend so much time trying to sell to individuals whereby there are so many "second hand" collection shops around all over China. All these are "con" job....

Just do not be "tam shim" aka greedy and mind our own business then we should be ok...

Cheers