Scammer or Psychopath?
It all started with a phone call… and now it’s stretched into a saga… I can’t exactly complain that my life is too boring.
17 March 2014 Monday 1pm
“Hi! I would like to speak to Zhiwei. I’m Adams Chew calling from Globalonline…” Then he rattled on about something. I had already tuned out, because I was up to my neck with work and it was probably a sales call, until he said, “I met you when you were in One Fullerton. Are you still with XXX?”
Me : Yes. (Not very interested to talk to him plus I was trying to multi task.)
Mr Weirdo : So is your office still at One Fullerton?
Me : No. (Monosyllabic and super sian tone – Doesn’t he get the HINT?!”)
Mr Weirdo : So where is it now?
Me : Republic Plaza
Mr Weirdo : Oh is it on XXth floor? (Trying to pull a fast one huh? He obviously knew where my office was and tried to pretend that he didnt?! Alarm bells ringing!!)
Me : Yes.
Mr Weirdo : Ok I want to know what you are selling now.
Me : Same thing as last time. No change.
Mr Weirdo : I want to know what’s your latest projects. I will put you down on my calendar at 3pm. I will come to your office.
Me : Sorry. I have a contract signing appointment at 3pm. I’m not free.
Mr Weirdo : Ok I will come at 4pm.
Me : I may not be finished by 4pm. (Oh Wow! This is the first time, someone is so desperate (drop dead desperate) to invest with me and I’m turning him away.)
Mr Weirdo : I will call you.
Me : …….
17 March Monday 4pm
He really called my hp!! I refused to pick it up and sent the number to my iphone block list. I was trying very hard to clear all my work so that I could meet my hot date for dinner!
Then my office phone rang.
My HR manager called me,”Zhiwei, are you expecting someone here at 4pm?? There’s someone here to see you.”
OMFG! He actually showed up at my office!! I decided to allocate 15 precious minutes to send him away. So, resignedly, I walked to the reception…
Eh… he’s not there wor. Phew!
My HR manager asked me, “There’s this weirdo by the name of Adams Chew. He showed us your namecard and told us that you are meeting him at 4pm. Do you know him?”
Me : Noooo! He just called me out of the blue and sounded desperate to invest with me!
HR : Anyway, I told him that if you are meeting him, you would have been waiting for him at the reception. I sent him away and told him that you were not in the office. (At this, my eyes were filled with tears of gratitude.) By the way, this is not the first time that he’s been here.”
Me : Nooo?? (And the saga unfolds.)
HR : He was here last week to look for E and W. He asked E to give him $50 and refused to leave. In the end, E gave him a scolding and sent him off. He also stalked W outside the office.
Me : Fwah!!! I have been saved!! Gam Sia Gam Sia!
And so, I thought that’s the end of it. Having blocked his calls and all.
Then I saw on my brother’s facebook that he met a weirdo. We crossed references and found out that it was the same guy!!! What’s he doing?! Calling all the investment consultants in Singapore?
He posted a blog post on his encounter. After that, friends did CSI and sent me his picture.
I forwarded the picture to my HR manager who sent it to the receptionists so that they could keep a lookout for this dodgy character.
18 March Tues
I had a blissful call free Tuesday from him.
Apparently, after my brother left him high and dry without paying for his lunch at Coffee Club, he called my colleague W to go down to pay for his lunch?! I’m not sure if he’s bonkers or what. Anyway, ICA, please look out for him. He may try to gatecrash the JB customs again like the rest who pleaded insanity.
19 March Wed 950am
I was in the sales area, just minutes from a project launch. I received a “no caller id” call and took it. And his voice boomed out at me! He’s become smarter. He must have known I blocked his call and called me from another number!
Mr Weirdo : I came and look for you on Monday, your receptionist said you left the office?
Me : Yes. I was out of office.
Mr Weirdo : Ok I will come and look for you at 11am.
Me : Sorry I’m busy.
Mr Weirdo : What time are you free?
Me : Why do you want to meet up with me?
Mr Weirdo : I want to know about your new projects.
Me : You have already tried to contact my colleagues so you already know about the new projects. There’s nothing new for me to share with you. Besides I have many clients and I am already very busy. I have no time to take on new clients.
Mr Weirdo : ….
Meanwhile, all the associates in the sales area were staring at me with their mouths open. Hmm… This one arh! So atas! Turn away clients!! Waaaa!!! Sigh… If only they knew the full story….
*Pat myself on my back* You’d think this is the end right?! Noooooo….
19 March Wed 11am
Received SOS from HR manager. The receptionists sounded the alert when they realised that Mr Weirdo walked into the office, looking for E. We had an event at 12 noon. And he had self invited himself for the event, giving the excuse that E invited him and that he would come back at 12 noon again.
So our big boss (my hero!) decided to end the nonsense once and for all, instructed the receptionists to put him in a secluded room to “Pia zui”! No lar.. just kidding.
19 March Wed 12 noon
He appeared on the dot. We were all summoned to the room while the big boss had it out with him. He stuck to his story about having a lot of money locked up in Uk and wanted E to give him $600 to unlock the funds so that he can invest with us, and all the shit etc.
Big Boss told him to stop harassing us, to stop asking us to go and pay for his lunch or to ask for $600 etc. And that, if he comes again, we will call the police. And then he was escorted to the lift. He loitered around the lift lobby and refused to press the button. ICA take note hor. Potential customs breach. E helpfully pressed the button for him to summon the lift up.
Meanwhile, all of us lined up at the door to send him off. The associates thought we were expecting some VVIP because the big boss was there personally at the door.
FWAH! Talk about Tw drama saga. This is real life ok!!!! Anyway, hope that this is the end of it.
Meanwhile, take note of this and BEWARE!!!
19 march wed 140pm
I was retelling my brother what happened…
