|  This happened about more than 5 years back.
Fancy me, at this late stage in life, getting conned by a scratch-and-win game.
I was definitely not the first to fell for it; nor will I be the last.
I knew that it has been happening through the papers. You will never know until it confronts you and hits you right smack in the face.
An innocent phone call brought about a train of events. The aftermath of the events still reverberates till this day. I still feel sheepish thinking about my gullibility.
“Are you Mr. X?” I replied in the affirmative. I was told my name was selected by Telekoms Malaysia at a “white goods” fair held at Bukit Jalil Stadium. I had won a prize in absentia. Could I collect it at their office in Klang? This Sunday at 3.00 p.m.? I said it was a date.
So with my wife, I drove to Klang; got lost a couple of times but I finally found the shop. And then they started the con.
You have won a multipurpose cleaner. It is worth RM40.00. By the way, today is the last day of our lucky draw. Would you like to try your luck? So they gave me 5 scratch-and-win cards to choose from. I chose and scratched one.
Lo and behold! I won RM3, 500 worth of prizes. These include a microwave oven, a high grade American steel wok, a Juice and Food Processing System and a foot massager. However to get the free gifts, I must first purchase an item from the store.
So they introduced me to an exercise machine. It was called the Blood Circulation Machine. All you need is to stand on the machine and vibrate for 15 minutes and the derivative aerobic benefit will be the equivalent of a 5 mile run on your heart. The machine is made in Korea and costs RM2, 500. That is where the greed came in. Pay that amount and get a bonanza in prizes. Okay. So I paid up with my credit card.
Con No. 2 was then laid out.
A shop assistant then came by as if by design and said that purchasers are entitled to another contest as well. So out came another set of cards. I chose one again and scratched! Holy cow! I scored again. I have won five more prizes. They valued it at RM4, 500. This time the prizes include a “Diamond’ type reverse osmosis water filter system, a massage mat and a Fuji instant camera. However, I was then told that this package of prizes has been discontinued. Would I be contented with another set of prizes?They played on your emotions. They wanted me to beg. Where can, one? When they saw my unhappiness, they told me they will check with their boss in Kajang whether they can release this package of prizes. The boss replied,” “okay.”
Yes, there it was again. Buy another product. So I chose a water-based vacuum cleaner costing another RM2, 500.
At 4.00 pm, I left the shop with a car-load of so-called free electric goods and a huge dent of RM5, 000 on my credit card.
When I reached home, I knew I was conned. I was now saddled with products I did not need. I was greedy and gullible. That was why I fall for the con!
My wife did suggest that I return all the goods to the shop the next day. However, since I needed the vacuum cleaner to replace the old worn-out one as well as the Blood Circulation Machine, I decided to keep all the prizes instead.
Within the next few months, we became a relative of Santa Claus and started giving away some of the prizes. The Reverse Osmosis Water System became our house warming gift for my brother-in-law. The microwave was given to my wife’s sister in law. I gave away the foot massage machine to my brother. The Juice and Food Processing System became our wedding gift to my nephew.
So, the next time when someone calls up and said you have just won a prize in a competition or what not, just hang up. There is no such thing as a free lunch!
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