If you’ve downloaded our app and open it daily, you’d know about a guy who showed off his $500 Temporary Relief Scheme online and even claimed that it was “simple to cheat”.
If you haven’t, then please do yourself a favour and download our app first, because that’s the best thing after Filet-O-Fish.
So, what happened 5 days ago?
One-Time Temporary Relief Scheme for Singaporeans
Lest you’re not aware, there’s a one-time $500 temporary relief scheme for Singaporeans who’ve been affected by COVID-19.
This is different from the $600 that you’d most likely be receiving from Ah Gong on Tuesday (14 April 2020).
Unlike the funds given to all businesses and individuals, this one-time payment is for Singaporeans whose income have been affected due to COVID-19.
To qualify, you must be a Singaporean above 16 and be able to prove that you’ve lost at least 30% of your income (i.e. pay cut or unpaid leave).
Given that many of us have a loss of income instead (e.g. almost all taxi or PHV drivers), queues to apply for the grant have been spotted in Social Service Offices and Community Centres since application began.
People can also apply online instead.
However, of course, people must be able to prove that their income has been impacted, if not there would definitely be people who abuse the system.
And here’s the thing: the authorities are trying to be flexible here because asking for 100 pages of documents to get a relief fund of $500 isn’t exactly helping.
But someone just had to abuse the system with this post in Hardwarezone (the post has since been removed):
He later edited his post, but hey; it’s too late because Mr Desmond Lee, the Minister for Social and Family Development and also the Second Minister in the Ministry of National Development, has seen it and slammed it on Facebook:
He added that they’ve “sent these reports of abuse to Minister Shanmugam. He told me his officers might be able to find some time later on, to have a chat with them.”
I guess the officers have time now.
Police Investigating Guy Who ‘Cheated’ $500 TRF & Even Boasted Online About His Antics
The Ministry of Social and Family Development, together with the Singapore Police Force, has responded.
They’ve managed to identify a 41-year-old Singaporean man who had posted the image and caption, and are now looking into a case of an abuse by the man.
Of course the man has clarified in an edited post that he’s innocent, as seen below:
Edited : I went down to CC on the 02/04 to apply. I was previously in the hotel industry doing hotel banquet as part time kind via those manpower agency. So I just tell the one who help me fill the application form that now hotel no wedding no event so i was not assigned any job since January. Never ask for any documents, only show IC. Maybe they did checked my CPF, maybe they got call and verify with my recruitment agency I don’t know. Or maybe they never do anything at all.
As some ppl say, I thought they will call me and ask for document proof or something but I was surprised to receive the email that $500 has been credited in. I was really down and out and This $500 will help me to survive through for this month. In my excitement, I posted something that I should not have post. If any of you took offence, I apologise sincerely.
But everyone knows whatever is on the Internet stays on the Internet.
And it’s not just this case that has caught the attention of the authorities.
Selling Forged Payslips to Abuse The System
Remember that the authorities have become more flexible in this payout?
Well, it turns out that people have abused the system by selling fake payslips online, as one needs to show that he or she has received a pay cut of at least 30% to qualify for it.
The authorities said that they were aware of advertisements “purportedly selling forged payslips for the purpose of making fraudulent TRF claims.”
They added, “MSF and the police treat such cases seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who abuses and/or facilitates the abuse of the TRF.”
So please, don’t pray pray. Got money just take, no money just cry. Don’t try to cheat.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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