Recently, news surfaced about a student who wanted to change her phone screen protector at a phone shop in Petaling Street. However, she was asked to sign up for a phone insurance plan with premiums that go up to RM2,000. At first, the shopkeeper had told her that the screen protector would cost around RM20 and ask her for her identification card number and name but didn't mention anything about the insurance. But when she went to collect her phone, she was hit with a whopping RM2,000 bill. This is a clear scam, and it is fortunate that the victim was able to get her money refunded after she made a police report. The reasons why she paid the bill was because she was threatened by the shopkeeper's staff and was told that the insurance details has been keyed in and in effect and as such could not be cancelled.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, it is best to simply walk away and not pay the exorbitant insurance fee. It is also advisable to avoid going to phone shops in notorious areas like Kota Raya and Petaling Street (Chinatown), where such scams are known to occur. This tale is not new and many tourists get scammed at these places in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Many of the mobile phone shops at Kota Raya and Petaling Street are run by crime syndicates. The sellers know that most of the visitors
/buyers that come to their mobile phone shops are 1st time and only time customers so they are brazen enough to pull off the scam.
There are many variations of the scam perpetuated by these mobile phone shops like selling SIM card that has less data than advertised, increase phone selling prices after verbally agreeing at lower price on the phone. There's a couple of Youtube vidoes of the scams which an easy search will reveal.
It is important to be vigilant and cautious when dealing with phone shops, especially those located in tourist areas. Always ask for a breakdown of the charges and read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up for any insurance plan or service. In case you suspect any fraudulent activity, do not hesitate to report it to the authorities. By being aware and informed, we can protect ourselves from falling prey to scams and prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.