I am in awe by what some supporters says!

 

The GST will be raised starting next year, 1st January 2023. I think there is no doubt about it. The doubt is only in how much it will affect our daily lives.

Honestly, I cannot say anything about that, I am not expert in this area, but I do know that prices will definitely goes up. And it's across everything.

So it came as a shocked when I heard someone claiming that "eat at hawker, because they don't charge GST, so you will not have to pay extra GST."

Is that so? I don't think the hawker's suppliers won't charge him any GST? Of course they'll, so either he absorb the extra cost OR it's transferred to the consumers - which is US.

So does eating at hawker means you're not affected by the GST raise? I'd say, NO, you're affected, in fact you could be paying more than just the 1% increased. And this is made worst with the raising cost of food... the 1% maybe more significant than you imagined.

But that's that, we can only accept it.

Simba (TPG) Vs redONE vs ONEXOX data SIM for Malaysia trips!

 

I just took a trip to different parts of Malaysia (Genting, Cameron Highlands, Ipoh and Meleka). To make communication easier, I have gotten 2 data SIM cards - 1 from redONE and 1 from ONEXOX.

I also have a Simba (TPG) SIM which comes with 1GB of free data roaming which I could use in Malaysia.

I did a simple comparison between them and here is what I feel about the different data SIM plans.

Coverage/Reception

All 3 of them actually tapped onto Celcom's network but for Simba, there is actually more options to choose from, including Digi, Maxis, U Mobile and a few others. However, only Celcom seems to be the most stable one, the rest either takes forever to connect or doesn't even connect!

Out of the 3, I actually find Simba the most stable one with slightly better coverage, at least in Genting. What happen was, reception was almost non existence in my hotel room but I managed to get enough reception with Simba plan to sent WhatsApp (with slight delay). I couldn't do that with the ONEXOX! Reception is spotty in the highlands.

In most other areas, they all have decent reception to stream YouTube videos and surf internet! Online gaming is also possible! I managed to play a round of Call of Duty via Hotspot from my mother's phone with the ONEXOX!

Price

It's quite difficult to compare the prices as I've chosen the plans to fit my needs and there could possibly be cheaper plans or less wastage, like for example I picked the wrong Welcome Deal package for the ONEXOX which I ended up wasting about 12GB of data! But oh well... I will still include the plans I've gotten here for your reference!

I've gotten the redONE Amazing 18 plan which comes with 25GB of data that could be use in both Singapore (SG) and Malaysia (MY) for S$18/month. There is also the Amazing 8 plan which comes with 5GB of data for S$8/month.

ONEXOX cost me S$13 for 20GB which will expires in 30 days. They do have other Welcome Deals which allows you to store your data but it'll be more expensive! For S$20, you can get 10GB of data which will expires in 30 days and 10GB in your Season Pass which will only expires when your card expires! The card validity is 28 months!  

Simba (TPG) plan is S$10/month with 50GB of local data and 1GB free roaming. I have to say, I think this plan is the most affordable! Especially if you only need data for communication, like WhatsApp and some web browsing!

If you do need to use GPS or stream some videos, you're better off with more data like the Amazing8! 25GB is kinda overkill if you're just planning to travel for 1-2 weeks, unless you plan to game online a lot or stream videos in HD or higher!

Speed

There is no noticeable speed difference when there is connection. When reception is not good, it's the same across all 3 cards! Since all 3 connect better with Celcom.

I have did a quick test when I was in Meleka and the Upload speed is 50-60Mbps while Download speed is roughly 8-10Mbps for all 3 Telcos. 

Honestly, I would recommend Simba (TPG) if you do not need a lot of data! I feel it's affordable both for local data and roaming! The reception and coverage is pretty good too! 

redONE is a good choice if you do travel a lot to Malaysia as the data can be used on both side (SG and MY) so there is no need to change SIM card! 25GB should be plentiful unless you're gaming online or streaming videos a lot.

ONEXOX will be worth it if you choose your Welcome deal wisely! Because their add-ons and other "plans" are not as cheap or attractive as their Welcome Deals! 

redONE Amazing 18 plan!

 

I've signed up for redONE Amazing 18 plan for my trip to Malaysia. I find it really worth it that the data can be used in both Malaysia (MY) and Singapore (SG), so no need to buy extra SIM card/plan and data for usage in Malaysia.

Amazing Plans

The down side is, that the plan comes with much lesser data than many other Telco for about the same price. If you don't need data in both SG and MY, they do have Local Plans where by you can enjoy Unlimited Talk Time, SMS and Data capped @5MBPS for $48/month.

For the Amazing 18 plan at $18/month, you get only 25GB of data (that can be used in both SG and MY), 500 minutes of talk time and 500 SMS. For new signups on November and December, you can get 50GB extra LOCAL data, meaning only can be use in Singapore.

redONE have a very interesting signing up process whereby you need to enquire and then wait for the sales person to contact you either via WhatsApp or call or email. There he/she will arrange to meet you to sign a digital agreement, pick a phone number and then pass you the SIM card.

There is a One Time SIM card fee of $10 so you'll be paying $10 + plan subscription for the first month. It can be done in cash (to the sales representative when he/she comes or PAYNOW)

Billing 

They have a very rigid way of billing. The bill start from the 1st of every month till the end of the month. So if you signed up on the 15th, they will still bill you on the end of the month, say 30th, a prorated amount. Data will also be prorated - which means you only get 15/30 (1/2) of the data allowance of the month (25GB in my case), which will be 12.5GB only.

I was slightly unhappy because I wasn't informed before I signed up despite me telling the sales person repeatedly that I will only need data starting the 23rd. He also went on to activate my plan without my consent on the 15th. But he explained to me that since data is also prorated, it's better I have more data on hand than less, because topping up cost much more than earlier activation. Makes sense to me, since we do need to use GPS/Map applications. But it feels better if I am informed beforehand.

Local Usage

I tried redONE for a few hours at home, using with my Poco X3 pro and iPhone. I do need to set the APN and so is with the iPhone. You can find the guide here.

I also used it on the portable Mifi I've recently gotten for the trip. It worked fine but need to set the APN too. Reception is ok at home and in most part of Thomson Plaza which I visited on that day. Reception suck in the KouFu food court and I couldn't get YouTube to load at all and browsing website is a pain! I checked with my family and realised that reception is just weaker in the food court, with them having just 2-3 bars only.

My Simba (TPG) reception was also just 2 bars. 

Usage in Malaysia

For this trip, I have visited Genting Highlands, Cameron Highland, Ipoh and Meleka.

redONE tapped onto Celcom's network automatically. Reception is good for most part of the trips except for Genting and certain areas of Cameron Highland which connection can get spotty and slow. Very unfortunate for me, reception was very bad in my hotel room in First World Hotel, Tower 1.

I have to leave my room to have reception. Other than that, works ok in the Casinos and most other places of interest in the areas I visited. Works fine in most of Cameron Highlands except for Lavender Garden. Connection is fine in Ipoh and Meleka except that GPS will lag at the start, so you better start the GPS before you start driving or go really slow for the GPS to orientate! 

25GB is plentiful for communication (Whatsapp, sending of photos, sharing locations and even video!) For about 9 days of at least 20-30 minutes of Waze (GPS map), Whatsapp and web browsing daily, I used around 2-3GB!

Honestly, if you're not going to be playing online games or streaming/sharing lots of videos, 1-2GB will be enough for up to 5 or 6 days of usage! I survived for 5 days on my 1GB of free roaming data from my TPG plan. It could possibly last longer but I watched a few videos on YouTube and my data run out before I know it!

Honestly, I feel redONE plan is quite worth it for it's stable and speed is decent for your basic usage! You should have no problem watching YouTube in HD IF you've enough data left! Coverage is good also with just some minor areas being spotty and connection is being slow! But in most areas (especially town areas), you get fast and stable connections!

The only downside is, it have lesser data and I cannot get it to work with my Mifi!

oneXOX Sim card: Choose your Welcome Deal wisely!!

 

While surfing through Shopee, I actually find the oneXOX prepaid SIM one of the cheapest (other than ICC, which I had very bad experience with) options for Malaysia SIM card! not to mention that the sellers are very responsive and very helpful if you ever face any problem when registering your card.

OneXOX prepaid comes with a few attractive Welcome Deals and a long validity of 28 months! You can also get plans which have data in the Season Pass (SP) which will not expire as long as you card stays activated (28 months)! Data not in the SP will expires after 30 days or the validity of the plan you get!

I thought since that I am just visiting for about 2 weeks (to a few parts of Malaysia) and I can easily top up via the app anywhere, I figured that I might not want to have data in my SP yet. 

So I got the SP FAT20 plan which cost SG$13 with 20GB of data that will be valid for 30 days. Well, that proved to be a bad choice! The SIM card will continue to be valid for 28 months, meaning after my Welcome Deal expires, I have a SIM card with no plan!

I decide to check the plans out on the XOX Black app, registered an account and checked out the data plans/add-ons available.

All I can say it's not very attractive! I feel 1GB is probably too little but 5GB is too much and too expensive. I wish there is something in between! The ESP Data Add-on appeals more to me price wise but the data expiring at 11:59pm no matter what time you buy the add-on is quite a deal breaker. 

I looked around for other plans/packages but there seems to be none (except for SP add-ons). So I head over to their website to look at their plans for existing users!

They are 3 types of plans - Monthly, Weekly and Daily plans. Depending on the length of my stay, I may not want to get the monthly plan although I must say the amount of data (up to 13GB) is much more attractive than the rest since I'll be using it as hotspot for my whole family!

For weekly plans, it's 2GB for RM10 and 5GB for RM19. The daily plan consist only of 1GB and 2GB plan which cost RM3 and 5 respectively. 

Honestly this is quite reasonable but whether it's enough, that really depends. If you want to use it for data sharing (Hotspot or Mifi) then you might have to think twice! 2GB will definite dry out in a day or 2! 5GB might be enough but will be tight for even a small family of 4, depending on usage of course! (In my previous post - 4G LTE Pocket Mifi Router, I discovered that 2 hours of usage of some YT in SD, GPS and web browsing used up almost 1GB of data (0.8+ GB).)

However, there is still one more option. You can choose to top up your SP instead, this will be good if you do travel to Malaysia often or plan to travel there again within the next 2 years. You don't have to worry about wastage (unused data)

The data will stay valid for as long as your card last, meaning it could possibly last for multiple trips. But of course it all depends on whether you're a heavy user or not. 

Thinking about it, if you divide it by the number of months left, it could go as low as SG$1.40/month! (assuming you buy 20GB of data - RM100 ~ SG$34 and your card still have about 25 months validity) 

If you worried about your SP expiring, SP validity can be extended - 6 months for RM18 and 12 for RM25. But depending on how much data you have left in the SP, it might be more worth it if you just sign up for a new card and enjoy the Welcome Deal and 28 months validity.

Well, I kinda regret not choosing my Welcome Deal more carefully and now I am stuck in a situation that I might have wasted the value of the card and all the unused data! I mean it's valid for 28 months and I didn't plan for that, instead went for the short term plan. Now, if I do need to visit Malaysia again, I have to choose between topping up (which cost more than if I just get a Welcome Deal with data in SP) or getting another card!

The only consolation is ... IF the connection is poor, I can easily ditch this card and find another one for my next trip!

Updated on 12 Sept 2024: Thanks to a comment, I got to find out that OneXOX long validity have T&C! 

Taken Directly from OneXOX website:

74.   Notwithstanding the Subscriber's status under the ONEXOX Prepaid Plan (save and except any Validity Packages purchased by Subcriber), XOX reserves the right, at all times, to terminate the Subscriber's subscription to the Plan(s) and its services if the Subscriber has not made a cumulative top up of at least RM30.00 for a continuous period of one hundred and twenty (120) days. Where plan and its Services is Terminated, XOX may revoke the Subscriber's mobile telephone number(s) with immediate effect and without further notice after a final reminder has been given to the Subscriber.

 

75.   Clause 74 shall not apply to Subscriber(s) whose mobile telephone number(s) are on any active validity package offered by XOX and purchased by the Subscriber. For the avoidance of doubt, Clause 74 shall take effect on the expiry date of the Subscriber(s) respective validity package.

"Now onexox dealers have confirmed that prepaid number which didn't top up RM30 for 120 days will be terminated even though they still have long validity.

Dealers received complains from prepaid users whom their prepaid have been terminated even though prepaid expired in 16 months or even longer." - Quoted from forum.lowyat.net

So it's legit happening.

I've checked my line on their Mobile App, it's still marked as "Active" but of course I haven't been able to try and use the card since I am not visiting M'sia anytime soon. So I can't say for sure.

4G LTE Pocket Mifi Router

 

My family will be going to Malaysia soon and we decided that we would need some internet for GPS and entertainment. I have signed up for 2 data sim card (one from redOne and one from OneXOX, which I will be reviewing after I came back from my trip.) 

I thought that having a Mifi router would be a good idea, since using phone as a hotspot would not only cause it to become laggy, gets very hot and also drains the battery real fast.

Specifications

I searched online for quite awhile and settled for this OEM Mifi router for SG$37. 

Portable Wifi - model H1

Accepted SIM card: Prepaid and Postpaid 3G and 4G SIM card (Micro SIM)

Bands: 

FDD - B1,B3,B5,B7,B8,B20. 

TDD - B38,B39,B40,B41

UMTS - B1,B5,B8

Battery: Rechargeable, 3600mAh, can last up to 5-7 hours.

Range: Up to 10 meters. Maximum 10 connections.

Speed: Up to 300mbps

Some supported Telcos:
Singapore: TPG, SingTel, StarHub, M1, Circles.Life, ZERO

Malaysia: Digi, Celcom, Maxis, Yoodo, XOX, Hotlink, U Mobile

Design, Accessories and Setting Up

It comes in simple box and very little accessories. Just a Micro USB charging cable, a 3600 mAh battery and an instruction manual in both Mandarin and English. (It's really useful IF you can read it because the images are so small you couldn't see anything while some texts are very difficult to read!!) 

Design wise, it's simple and stylish. Slightly thicker than I expected but still light enough to put in pocket/bag. Interface is simple, with just 3 logo indicators. One is the battery level, then the wifi and then I think the last one is SIM connection.

Operating is simple, just put in SIM card, then peel the plastic film off the battery connector, put in battery and then switch it on. It should start working immediately. By the way do take note that it only accepts Micro-SIM card, so you might need an adaptor. (You can get it online for less than $1 or 2).

I tried using a Simba (TPG) SIM card and while my phones can detect the wifi connection, there is NO internet. I realised that to use TPG SIM card, you need to configure the APN.

Setting APN, SSID and password

It's very easy to do, you just have to follow the instructions manual. But in case you lost yours, I'll share how I do it here.

1) You need to go to your web browser on the device that is connector to the Mifi. Type in the IP address at the back of your device in the url bar. (Usually 192.XXX.X all numbers) It may different between devices but you can try 192.168.100.1.

2) You will reach a login page, whereby you have to in put the username and password provided at the back of your device. (both: "admin" by default)

3) You'll come to a page whereby you have the option under "Advanced" at the side bar, there you go to "APN Setting". Select a Profile (Profile1, Profile2...etc) at the bottom.  

4) Input "TPG" into Name and APN and leave the rest blank. Click "Save Configuration" at the bottom and then "Execute" at the far bottom. Next time when you insert your TPG card back in, you just have to select the Profile name to use it, without having to type in the APN and Name again.

You can also change the SSID name and password, which is really important because all these devices comes with the same passwords and people can easily tap into your connection and they can try and steal your personal data and information if they want to.

After resetting the password or SSID, the Mifi should reset and then you'll have to reconnect your device with the new password.

User Interface

While I find the 3 logo indicator provides enough information about the connection status and such but it doesn't give extra information like some other Mifi which comes with a small LCD display. 

Those devices can display more information like the wifi password, admin page login password, Telco and number of connections, data usage... etc on the LCD itself so no need to keep taking out the battery to check at the back of the device. Some even provide a QR code for easy connection. But of course those device cost much more than this.

For this device if you want to find out all these information, you need to go through step 1 to log into the website to check.

Connection Speed

I don't know what to expect for Wifi connection, like what is considered fast and what is considered slow. How much do I need to run social media smoothly, so I downloaded some app to help me determine.

I tested the connection speed on 2 separate apps and the gave somewhat similar connection speed. This is with 2 phones connected, both running YouTube in background. 

By the way, from my own experience with using this Mifi for YouTube, the video loads and streamed flawlessly without any lag, even with 2 devices connected. 

Initial Using 

I tried using it for slightly more than 2 hours for a day. I popped in my StarHub 4G SIM card. Connected 3 smartphones to it. (On and off. Since I ask my family to try also, I can't control where they go or what they do!) 

What I tried:

1 >  GPS (Map) application without driving around but just leaving it on for at least 15-20 minutes.
2 > YouTube (2 device using simultaneously). Video resolution is automatically selected as 360 or 480p, rarely goes to 240p but it did once or twice.

3 > Random web search.

Results:

After 2 hours of usage, I used up almost 1GB of data (0.8+ GB), with video resolution of 720p and 480p, didn't go any higher as video quality is good enough. The device used up about 1 bar of battery (According to the Admin webpage it's 1 bar down, but the Mifi device shows full bar), it's mildly hot, warm to touch. (Even my smartphone feels hotter than it for some weird reason).

However, I do realised 2 problems with the Mifi, and that is it'll auto shut down/sleep after 10 minutes IF no device is connected to it. I tried to turn this function off but I didn't find that option anywhere. The signal may also not be strong enough to pass through walls.

I brought my phone with me into the kitchen and the connection got really weak. While the distance is probably within 10 meters away from the device, I guess the wall between my living room and kitchen is enough to affect the connection.

My phone quickly switched to another Wifi (my house Wifi) and when I was done with my chores in the kitchen, the Mifi have already entered sleep mode.

Honestly, the connection speed did dipped a little and when I did a speed test somewhat an hour into the testing, it went as low as Download-6mbps and Upload-2mbps. YouTube is still able to stream flawlessly if not set to HD (720p and above). 

I actually do fear how fast it consume data as we will be travelling for about 9-10 days in total and we only have 20GB + 25GB for 4 pax. 

Update: I've used the device with ONEXOX SIM card (Malaysia local Telco card) and redONE SIM card, and it doesn't work at all!! No matter what I do (setting APN and resetting the Mifi), the reception icon just remains red and there is no Wifi!!

I've tried it in both Cameron Highland and Ipoh! I am sure it's not because of weak reception as the reception is full bar when I place it in my phones and I get fast internet via my phone hotspot! I don't know what went wrong there but if you're getting this to use in overseas, then I guess it's not such a good idea!

Random Miniature Project - Mini Chipsmore

 

I was kinda bored and decided to make something out of my almost-dried out air dry clay. I don't have much to work with as most of the colours have dried out. 

Printed Chipsmore packaging.

The cookies are made with air dry clay.

That's all for today!

Is DIY always cheaper?

 

I've always love DIY, mainly because it gives me a sense of satisfaction and allow me to customise the size/designs. I don't always succeed but you'll always get something out from the process of making.

However, a friend of mine asked me if I think it's worth it making DIY packaging instead of buying one from gift shops?

Honestly, I've never thought about it. I just DIY when I feel like it or when I need something more customised.

For example, the cake box below, I used about 2 pieces of A4 size kraft paper and one piece of transparency.

A packet of 50 piece of A4 kraft paper (230gsm) is about $16. A packet of 50 sheets of transparency is about $12.

So the total of making the box is:

Kraft paper: $0.32 (per piece) x 2

Transparency: $0.24

Total: $$0.88

I did a search online and found that on Shopee, you can get a bundle of 10 cakeboxes (similar size) for $12 (plus $1.49 shipping), so it's $1.20 each. If you buy just a single box, it will usually cost more.

So for this case, yes, it's slightly cheaper. Moreover, the leftover materials can be use to make other things.

I recently made some custom size display boxes for my "legos".

I used 2x30cm wood sticks, 1 A4 PVC sheet (for the 'glass') and 8x8cm wood plank for the base.

I bought 10 wood sticks for $7.30 and 5 piece of 10x10cm wood plank for $5.30. 20 piece of A4 PVC sheet for $14.00.

So 1 display box cost $0.73x2 + $1.06 + $0.70 = $$3.22. (If you make a taller or bigger box, you'll need more materials)

However, you can get a plastic display box from Daiso for $2.14. But of course, if you've better skill, you can cut all the needed materials from a single board and save some money. 

DIY doesn't always mean cheaper, especially if you include the time taken to make just 1 box. I did a rough estimation, the display case took about 2 hours and the packaging box, about 30 minutes.

However, it can be a really fun experience that help you gain some satisfactions. So whether to DIY or not, depends on what you wish to achieve.

Maybe you shouldn't buy a 2nd hand iPhone and wish it last ...

 

I must say I'm no expert on this topic, I just have been an iOS user for years now. I've also used Android for a year or so. So I kinda have experience with both side.

I am still using my iPhone 7 Plus from 4,5 years ago. Well, before you start raving about how lasting an iPhone is, I will tell you, I'm still using it but as a spare phone. 

The phone is working all fine when it connected to Wi-fi but once you're out and switched to cellular (I'm on 4G btw), it will have problem. It'll keep showing "No connection/No internet" randomly. So, I've a phone which cannot use cellular at all ... or whenever it doesn't feels like connecting.

The only solution is, well, reset your phone or use hotspot from someone else. (of course if you can get free wi-fi that will work too!) And this particular reset might last you a few days or a few hours. It's hard to tell. 

I thought I'm the only victim until my father's and sister's iPhone 6 and 6S plus starts to fall victim to this problem too. It gets frustrating when you're in a hurry to contact someone and it goes "No internet connection" or when your YouTube videos paused with a circle turning and turning.

And no, I'm not writing this to compare iOS and Android nor am I saying which one is better. What I am saying is, I've heard from many people who thinks it's cheaper to get a 2nd hand iPhone which you can use for another 5-8 years than a mid-range Android phone.

Obviously, newer phones have newer technology which you can tap on, mid-range phone may not have regular firmware/security updates but they can definitely run more apps and programs. While Apple keeps releasing updates to try and keep up, there is a limit to what your older device can run. Another thing to note is that even if your older phone can run a newer version of an app, it'll struggle more than a newer phone with better specs (and technology). It might end up being laggy or draining much more battery!

And obviously, your hardware may not be able to last as long as you wished it to be. I've changed my iPhone's battery for at least 4-5 times during this 5 years of usage. It started as $60-70 to now, about $30-40 per battery (plus workmanship). That's easily another few hundred dollars!

But imagine if I was to repair the phone to solve the connection issue? I think it'll cost about half the price of a mid-range phone, possibly more. And that mid-range phone will come with a year worth of warranty while for the old phone, I have to pay for every single repair.

Finally, I wish to say, getting a 2nd hand phone and hoping it will last another 5 years is kinda... hmm ... it depends a lot on your luck.

Rant: A viscous cycle. Shopping is fast remedy but solve nothing!!

 

I actually don't see his as a 'rant' but more of a confession.

Well, I realised that I'm getting into this viscous cycle that is draining me and making me going in and out of very negative/depressive emotions.

I think I've mentioned plenty of times that I'm a "mild online shopaholic" or whatever you call it. I guess the more accurate way of putting it is "I WAS".

I was able to get satisfactions and joy out of buying small items from online, just like I used to find happiness in buying a new stationery as a kid and young adult.

But now, things seems to become "bigger". Like ... I am not satisfied by 'small things'. Or rather, I got an interest in 'bigger things'.

I am always into electronics and gadgets, which can get expensive. Also, my hobbies - crafting requires some tools which can get expensive.

But these are not the main point. The main point is, I'm getting into this cycle that I'm extremely unhappy with my job (working 'full-time' Grab now as a walker) and I feel I need to reward myself - yes, by buying things!

And the problem comes when I realised that I can easily overspend because I am not making a lot of money. Then I feel stressed and unhappy that even after walking like mad, till my knees are complaining (pain), I still cannot afford to shop as much as I want.

And by 'shop as much as I want', I mean 'not able to buy what I really wanted'. I do not buy luxurious items. 

I really wanted a mini table saw for my upcoming project but I need to think twice. Well, it's not solely because of my knee problem and 'low wage', but because I am suffering the 'side effects' of Covid.

Covid doesn't just go when you recover, it have 'side effects' like coughing and lesser lungs capacity. For my first week after recovering, I was struggling to keep up with my pace as I'll become breathless much faster than pre-Covid me. And I am also coughing quite a lot weeks after recovery. I've to walk slower which in the end affected my 'hourly pay'.

Anyways, I'm in this cycle now that I couldn't get any satisfaction in life and when I tried to find some satisfaction, I felt super stressed and bad. I tried doing what I love (making animations and crafts) but they didn't help much. They even becomes another source of 'unhappiness'.

I need to break this cycle.

I got contacted by a job scam scammer! And 'scammed' them of $11!

I have received a random PM on Telegram a few days back. The person identify herself as Ella. She asked me if I'm interested in a WFH simple job reviewing hotels.

I could smell it's a scam already but decided to play along. I replied stating my interest and pretended to sound very eager. She quickly told me that she'll pass me over to her superior on Whatsapp.

I quickly received a message on Whatsapp but I'm too busy. I waited for about half a day when I'm free to deal with her. She asked for my name and quickly identify herself as having the same name as me!

Even sending a photo of her IC. (She didn't block out anything, which means I actually know her full name and IC number)

I was like "WOW! Such coincidence!" But deep down I was like, Oh? And so?

She quickly got into a small chat with me, sharing how this job changed her life and she has a lot of time for herself because she just need a few hours to earn $100+ a day. She went on to brief me about the jobscope. Basically, it's 'helping to advertise the hotels' by giving ratings.

She asked if I'm keen. Obviously, I must be keen, right?

She quickly sent me a link with an invitation code, which I've to input. Setting up the account is easy. they just need your name (I gave a random name, Hp number, password and something else which I can't remember). Btw, you can give a random phone number because they won't send you OTP for verification.

The website look something like this when I first logged in.

Once you're done, she will guide you on what to do via Whatsapp. Before that, she'll introduce you to something very important known as the "Experience Gold" (EG) which is a SG$111 which is already inside your account when you created it. She said that the EG will disappear once you completed 30 ratings. *This EG is very important, remember it, it'll come up again.

She'll also add you to a Telegram group (Ten Million Team) whereby someone will keep posting their earnings and saying they'll renew their EG.

Anyways, she'll ask you to press the "Play" button and then wait for the site to generate a random hotel for you to review. 

Just click 5 stars on the "Good Review". Do it 30 times and contact her again. So what happen is, once you rate a hotel, you'll earn the commission stated, some hotels pays more, some pay less. But whatever, by the end of the 30 reviews, they'll make sure you've $10 or more, as the minimum payout is $10.

Next, she'll ask you to setup your withdrawal account (PayNow or Bank Account, up to you). For this part, you've to input in your really bank/PayNow details, so proceed only if you're comfortable. 

I quickly got a message from my bank that $11 has been PayNow to me. Yay!! 

Now, this is where things get interesting. Because I've gotten the $11 and seems happy about it, she quickly jumped into asking me to renew my EG because it's 0 now. This means that I cannot continue to rate hotels and earn more money.

I ask her why must have EG in order to continue rating hotels and she replied the following.

I don't really understand what she means to be honest, is she implying that I need to prove I'm not using a bot or is not a bot by inputting money into the system?

Anyways, after I kept asking more questions for clarifications, she finally snapped at one point, writing "You want to continue rating or not?"

Honestly, I don't believe in paying more to earn money. Even though she kept saying I'll make SG$176 with that SG$111 deposit, which can later be withdrawn too.

I did a quick check on scamalert.sg and found this: https://www.scamalert.sg/stories-details/Story-06Jul2022224556PM

The poster who went through a very similar scam as me. He actually chose to renew his EG after chatting with the people in the Telegram group (which I feel are part of the scam!) I am still in the Telegram group which I was added in and there are a few particular users who will post daily sharing their earnings and saying they'll renew again.

When he renewed and started his ratings once again, he realised that he could hardly reach the minimum number of ratings to withdraw. They just keep asking him to input more money before he can continue.

So yeah, I'm pretty sure this is a scam, although I haven't really be scammed. But the red flags are there. Never pay to be paid! And even if someone shared their IC with you, doesn't mean they're not scammers.

*Update: Their domain (hamptonsysussg.com) has been taken down. A quick WHOIS search shows that it's only setup on 20th July in He Nan, China.

Well, at least I got a $11 from the scammers! LOL.