Doorstep Money Remittance Service Turned Out to be a Scam
A 30-year-old beautician originally from Sichuan, China, was lured into a seemingly lucrative offer she found on WeChat.
An advertisement, claiming to be from the reputable money transfer company Zhongguo Remittance Pte. Ltd., boasted of an exclusive doorstep money collection and transfer service. The cherry on top?
An incredibly attractive exchange rate of 1 SGD to 5.8 RMB, a rate that dwarfed the prevailing market rate of 5.4 RMB.
The ad, with its display of authentic-looking receipts, seemed too good to be true. And as the old adage goes, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
That was when Nicole was scammed.
Woman is Somehow Scammed from Man Who Provided Doorstep Service for Money Remittance to China
This month, a man, appearing to be in his early 30s, showed up at Nicole’s doorstep after she expressed her interest.
With the promise of a seamless transfer, he collected the $20,000 Nicole intended to send to her family back in China.
Using what seemed like a sophisticated mobile transfer system, he made it appear as if the money was transferred instantly. Nicole, seeing the credited amount in her Chinese account, felt reassured and let the man walk away with her hard-earned cash.
However, the euphoria was short-lived.
The very next day, Nicole’s mother in China was met with a frozen account. Local authorities flagged the money as proceeds from fraudulent activities, leading to its confiscation.
Attempts to resolve the situation with the representatives of Zhongguo Remittance were fruitless, as they said they did not have such a staff member…and also, didn’t provide the doorstep service.
In a surprising turn of events, the account in China was mysteriously unfrozen a week later, her money intact.
So technically, she was scammed…temporarily.
However, Nicole knew of others who weren’t as fortunate. Stories of victims losing up to $40,000 circulated on WeChat, their pleas for help echoing in the digital void.
Zhongguo Remittance, the legitimate money transfer company, was quick to distance itself from the scam. In a statement on their website, they clarified their stance, “We do not offer any doorstep collection or transfer services.”
They urged customers to be vigilant and only engage in transactions through their official channels.
They’ve also added a page to warn others about this scam.