61-Year-Old Uncle In Singapore Buys A TV Online And Ends Up With A Packet Of Tissues
Not everything is what it seems.
By Hafiz Zainuddin — 17 Nov 2022, 12:36 PM
Online shopping can be a double-edged sword sometimes
There's no denying that we've received a wealth of convenience through online shopping, but sometimes that's not always the case.
With the anonymity that comes with selling things on online platforms, some individuals may use it to take advantage of others.
Enter 61-year-old Shen Ruiqiang, a subway engineer who opted to buy a TV online after seeing a relatively cheap price on it
According to Shin Min Daily, the uncle noticed that there was a listing for a 32-inch Xiaomi TV for the cost of USD138 (roughly RM628.29).
Thrilled at the prospect of its affordable pricing, the uncle decided to make a purchase on the online shopping platform instantly.
After a four-day wait, Shen's excitement quickly turned sombre after noticing that there was only a small pink package on the table where his TV was supposed to be
Shen immediately realised that he was scammed, much to his chagrin. After realising this, he underwent a thorough inspection of the shop listing again and noticed something amiss with the logo of the brand. Instead of Xiaomi, it was listed as 'xiao-miss'.
"I went home full of joy that day, thinking that I could finally watch TV at night, but there was only a small pack of tissues in the small package, which was less than 400 grams," he stated.
Wanting to opt for a refund, Shen realised that it could take a full month for him to get his money back
After contacting the online shopping platform's customer service, he was notified that his refund hangs upon an intricate three-step process.
First, the seller had to agree for the item to be returned to them, then they would have to evaluate whether the item was credible for a refund before finally processing for a refund.
Fortunately, after Shen made his story viral across social media, he received a notification from the e-commerce platform informing him that his refund had been processed and completed.
That being said, Shen has warned other buyers to be wary when making online purchases so they don't fall victim to scams as he has. Shen also hopes that the online shopping platform will better regulate their sellers, so only credible ones will be featured on the platform.
