Man Wanted to Buy 2 Crabs for $9.90 But Lost Over $18K to Scammer Instead

By
Zhi Hao
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Imagine forking over S$9.90 for a pair of crabs, only to see that amount inflate to a staggering S$18,000.

Sounds totally incomprehensible? Well, it’s a notion that one unfortunate Netizen had to contend with.

And to complicate things further, he may not be able to get the amount back.

Man Wanted to Buy 2 Crabs for $9.90 But Lost Over $18K to Scammer Instead

According to various news reports, a 31-year-old man had encountered an attractive-sounding deal on Instagram, on Wednesday (14 April 2021).

Apparently, he could get two crabs, alongside free express delivery, for just $9.90.

Considering how crabs usually command exorbitant prices, such rates are far from a commodity.

Despite the questionability of the deal, the man was convinced by the logo – supposedly hailing from local zi char restaurant 8 Crabs.

Having ordered from there before, and observing no apparent changes in the ‘website’, he went ahead and placed his order;

Complete with the mandatory card details and subsequent one-time password (OTP).

But things soon took a dire turn.

After being notified of an apparent error, he received an SMS message stating that his credit card had been connected to an Apple Pay account.

He later found out that a whopping S$18,579 had been transferred out.

“My card had a limit of $20,000 and it was nearly maxed out,” he lamented. “I wanted to spend $10 on crabs but I lost over $18,000 instead. I didn’t even get to eat any crabs.”

May Not Get Back His Money

Despite informing the police, the eatery and the bank, he was informed that he might have lost the sum in its entirety.

This is due to the fact that he had, in actuality, keyed in his OTP of his own volition.

However, police investigations are still currently ongoing.

And apparently, the 31-year-old wasn’t the only victim.

In fact, 8 Crabs has disclosed that at least six other customers have fallen prey since 24 February 2021.

They have since warned customers of the scam.

Vigilance

With scam cases proving as prevalent as ever, it’s imperative that we practise vigilance at all times.

Also, always verify the authenticity of things beforehand.

Those with scam-related information can reach out to the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or visit the i-Witness website. If you have any queries, you can dial the anti-scam hotline at 1800-722-6688, or click here for access to the Scam Alert website.

It’s our hard-earned money. Let’s endeavour to protect it from the reach of less than well-intentioned individuals.

Also, you can check out our line of discount guides. Unlike the crab deal, ours are 100% legit.

Probably.

Scam Cases

It’s not just crabs either.

Apparently, scammers have also come up with a clever new ruse on WhatsApp.

Netizens have reported receiving suspicious messages from attractive women claiming to be their friend.

The messages would begin with “Hi, I haven’t heard from you for a long time.”

These ladies claim to be from Hong Kong, saying they had to return to their home country to visit their parents.

While the “woman” does not explicitly ask for anything right off the bat, they ask about the Covid-19 situation in Singapore and leave their numbers so you can “keep in touch” with them.

Naturally, just like the elusive S$9.90 crab deal, these women aren’t legitimate.

And so, in all honesty?

If it simply sounds too good to be true, it may be wise to take precaution.

Unless, of course, you were simply born under a lucky star.

Featured Image: Facebook (8 Crabs)

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]