A shop in Peninsula Plaza that offers computer services, allegedly tried to scam a netizen’s maid of her laptop, according to a netizen who spoke to Stomp.
The maid was at the shop trying to collect the laptop, when the shopkeeper allegedly told her that someone else had already collected it on her behalf – but she could see her laptop right there in the shop.
The netizen, Edwin, said that the laptop belongs to him and that he lent it to the maid because she is taking up courses to improve her computer skills.
The maid had went to the shop at Peninsula Plaza on 15 May to install Microsoft Office, where she was then given a handwritten receipt and told to come back about 1 to 2 weeks later to collect the laptop.
Shop told her laptop was collected by someone else
She then received a message to collect the laptop on 12 June and when she went down, she was told that someone had collected the laptop on her behalf and that it is missing.
However, she could see her laptop right there in the shop, complete with the identifying decorative stickers pasted on it, with the shop owner insisting that that laptop was not hers, shouting at her and chasing her away.
The maid was left helpless and ended up calling her employer for help, and the shopkeeper then asked him over the phone for the laptop’s IMEI number and specs.
Shop owner said he could “hack” the “lost” laptop
The shop owner claimed that it was so that he could “hack” the “lost” laptop and delete or retrieve his important files.
The owner then told Edwin that he would be taking “responsibility” for the “lost” laptop, saying that he will refund whatever secondhand value there was based on the specs of the laptop.
The netizen then asked the owner if the whole laptop is missing, how can they possibly retrieve the important files?
The owner then said that he “had a way”, and Edwin then felt that there was a potential scam going on, before telling the owner he would call him back in 5 minutes.
It is worth highlighting that Edwin is a double major graduate in cyber forensics and IT business.
Edwin decided not to call the shop back because they were giving contradicting reasons and couldn’t speak proper English.
Shop owner demands evidence to prove laptop belongs to man
So he went down to the shop in person, arriving within 30 minutes and got into a dispute with the shop owner, telling him to return his laptop, but the shop owner kept insisting for evidence such as IMEI number of the laptop.
Edwin told Stomp that who on earth can remember the IMEI number and 10-year-old laptop information such as programs installed?
The shop owner then kept arguing and the dispute escalated with both parties getting louder, and the shop owner then asked Edwin for the name of the laptop.
Edwin then gave the name of his cousin who last used the laptop, and he then noticed that the laptop was note operating due to having a low battery.
Verified laptop name without even turning it on
But the shop owner then “verified” the name of the laptop without even turning it on.
The shop owner eventually handed him back his laptop after seeing a video being taken of their interaction.
Edwin then walked out of the shop without saying anything because “all I wanted was my laptop back as it had been away for almost one month”.
He added that after all these troubles, Microsoft Office was still not installed on the laptop and no payment was made.
The police confirmed that they have received a police report about the incident and are investigating.
You can watch the video of the incident here.