Don't Be Scammed Out of Our Slippers?

Hey kids, Watcher here. Boy, am I in a foul mood today. Not only are my slippers missing, some scam artist sent me an email asking for my I/C number. Of course, I didn't bite — you gotta get up pretty early in the morning to fool the ol' Grumpster. I have received similar emails from Nigerian scammers disguised as they are from Japan, China, Taiwan, Africa and Hong Kong VIP's urgently seeking someone to take over their family or country inheritance.

I thought a nice mid-morning nap would calm me down, but no dice. First, years back Malaysia Clob shares took over my entire life savings after declaring that it didn't existed in Singapore. Now I'm being besieged by grafters and get rich quick scammers! Thoroughly annoyed, I researched the top "scam" searches. I came out with the list of companies involved with money games or so-called MLM investment schemes which had either gone busted or went against the law.

Shameful to say that I have also invested in some of them and lost a few thousand dollars. That is, after being persistently persuaded by friends who worked on my greed and the illusion of making easy money. Some of them are still actively around scamming investor for money. Most of them used similar models of "payplan" otherwise covering up actual "Ponzi" scheme to scam millions of dollars before they closed down the company and disappeared from the scene. Then many of those scammers got the cheek to pull the leaders together and start another company. Sure, they will start the scamming all over again.

Take a look at our top 15. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for my slippers — 80 cent reward to whoever finds 'em first.

Sources on the lists:

1. Sunshine Empire (Emcom) - CLOSED DOWN!

Founder James Phang and some of his CEO's were charged in court by the Singapore government and CID on 5th march, 2009.

http://www.firstmillionchallenge.com/sunshine-empire-too-good-to-be-true/

http://www.thelocalking.com/singapore/miscellaneous--others.../sunshine-empire.html

2. Swisscash (Swiss Mutual Fund) - CLOSED DOWN!

The biggest money scam of the century, propelled by top scammers like Serene Chea from Singapore. She allegedly sold points for cash to investors who earned worthless points without the prospects of cashing out.

http://swisscash-investment-review.blogspot.com/

http://www.worldlawdirect.com/forum/internet-hyip-scams/683-swisscash-scam-135.html#post18890

3. BuyEbarrel - CLOSED DOWN!

Employed the similar tactics as Swisscash with promises of huge payouts for doing nothing!

http://www.talkgold.com/forum/r144694-.html

http://hubpages.com/hub/wwwbuyebarrelcom

4. Lucky Index - CLOSED DOWN!

Illegal gaming and lottery MLM scam.

5. MobileEwallet.com

Malaysia claimed to has been granted MSC Malaysia status by MDEC. A lot of members who invested in their payplan complained that they never get paid.

http://mobilewallet.bravehost.com/

http://www.thelocalking.com/explore/sunshine-empire/more/page=1/order=SubmissionDateNew

6. e-Worldusa.com

Seen their comp plan. So much like pyramid. Claimed to be aiming for IPO's.

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/713903/+0#entry17821689

http://mlmg.sgforums.com/forums/14/topics/266839

7. SMICAP.COM

Virtual shares that promise to return 100 times your investment. Virtual shares got no actual value. You have to get another investor to buy over your shares later.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090116202104AA7GvQr

8. SINGCAP.COM

Owners are leaders that came out of SMICAP and used similar plan.

http://www.singcap.com

9. WCI - CLOSED DOWN!

Owners are Singapore two MLM leaders that came out from Sunshine Empire and Chu Fong (defuncted Taiwan MLM company). One of the Malaysian partner siphoned off all the money after promising huge returns for the investors into their bird-nests and oil farms in Malysia and Indonesia which did not existed.

10. Xthreem Online - CLOSED DOWN!

Members never get paid. Speaker by the name of Michael Reyes (Philipino) who claimed to be representative of Xthreem cannot be found after collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars from investors in SIngapore.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmazAxmEoS72NabKr9QNvrojzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080511013030AAGiWHP

http://xthreem-goa.blogspot.com/2007/11/xthreem-online-scheme-4.html

11. MegaeForex.com

They shut it down after scamming investors for two years but open up the site again to scam more people. The only problem is that the old investors had not been able to log into the site anymore without any reasons given to them. They left the site open so as to scam more people. However with their name listed as scam in the search engine, it will be harder for them to put a fast one anymore.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvZKFcRZLV3zyq4G486JhkEjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080417030310AAW0

12. Oilpod.com

http://tankinlian.blogspot.com/2007/12/risky-business-venture.html

http://www.lioninvestor.com/oilpods-update/

No payout was received by investors after some time with Oilpod.

A check on filings by Powder River to SEC shows that the company is having cash flow difficulties.

OilPods has instructed their legal representatives in the United States to take the necessary actions to protect the interest of investors.

13. ProfitableCapital.com

http://www.propertyscam.org.uk/d6plinks/7HCBME

http://www.lioninvestor.com/profitable-capital-group-alert/

Profitable Capital Group is a scam. They are misusing another company’s name to operate a ponzi scam that promises outrageous returns like Swisscash (or Swiss Mutual Fund)and unfortunately, many Singaporeans joined them and history always repeat itself.

14. Profitable Plots Landbanking

Raided by Malaysian Government! Investors in Singapore never get paid.

http://www.alantanblog.com/investment/land-banking-is-a-scam.html

http://www.propertyscam.org.uk/d6plinks/7NYCFK

15. Genneva.com

Gold bar investment whihc is based in Malaysia but have office in Singapore.
2% return per month and 24% per year! minimum investment $10K. If it is so good, it means to outperform Temasek and GIC liao. Means its the world best investment liao cos everyone is losing money in their stocks and shares.

Those without money to invest can join in as sales person with 4 tiers overriding commission of up to 1%. My friend asked me to burrow money from my insurance policy to invest in Genneva gold after I told him I have no money to invest. He quitted after one week citing non transparency of the company as a reason.

If you have a lot of spare money, maybe you wish to throw some here:

http://www.genneva.com.sg/

Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing’s

Recent news about Sunshine Empire in the Singapore Chinese newspapers!

Many people are blinded by greed which is why they fell into such scams like Sunshine Empire, Swisscash and others etc.. (I used to be one of them who invested a few thousand dollars into Swisscash and Megaeforex). If a person has sufficient financial knowledge and financial literacy, such scams are quite easy to spot and one would have easily avoided being conned. I've shared on this forum and other forums tips on "How to avoid falling into scams" I actually know of people who are highly educated (graduates like me) and yet still fell into this scam. It shows that High education does not equate to Financial Literacy. Thus, raising one's financial literacy can really help one to avoid scams and losses and increase likelihood of growing one's money.

It's unfortunate that many people I know (friends, colleagues, relatives) had put in a lot of money into hair-brained get rich money scheme (not recruited by me as I did not sponsor anyone into money games but I am one of the gullible investor). Funny thing is that the people I know are very much savvy with their money and supposed to possess higher financial literacy but yet many of them had placed their faith with James Phang of Sunshine Empire. In your opinion, do you think there is any way for aggrieved investors to recover any of their capital? I would think 10 cents on the dollar would be a possible scenario, or perhaps it is too optimistic.....

While James Phang and his cohorts might get his deserved punishment done, there are many others who have left thousands of investors broke and gone free unnoticed like the defunct Swisscash, Megaeforex, BuyeBarrel, Xthreem, WCI and many others etc. Many feel that this group should be bought to justice too! Old scammers might have gone but many new ones will emerge. People are governed by greed and desires to obtain benefits with the least effort so there are always people who will never learn from their bad experiences. They will continue to explore, accept Ponzi or easy money making schemes and exploit others from it.

Lee Kuan Yew Reconsiders Population

Living, as I do, in Singapore, I was rather relieved to learn that Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's Minister Mentor (an advisory leader), has stated that he now believes that Singapore should not have a population of 6.5 million, but that one of 5 to 5.5 million would be optimum.

He is quoted in the papers as saying: "I have not quite been sold on the idea that we should have 6.5 million. I think there's an optimum size for the land that we have to preserve the open spaces and the sense of comfort".

He went onto say that he wouldn't like to see Singapore turn into another Hong Kong, with its towers, one after the other, each blocking out the other's light. He indicated that he thought Hong Kong's 7 million population was an undesirable number.

I don't know if Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew is aware of it, but Singapore's population density is already rather high, even compared to Hong Kong's.

A quick search of Wikipedia, brings up the following figures from the United Nations World Populations Prospects Report (2004 revision), with estimates calculated for July 2005. In that data set, Hong Kong is listed as the 3rd most dense place on Earth at a population density of 6,407 people per sq. km. "Wow...that's high!", you might think. But where is Singapore on this United Nation list? Fourth place. Singapore comes in at 6,369 people per sq. km for these figures. So, you might think that Singapore's population density is high - indeed very similar to Hong Kong's - but not quite there yet. However, Singapore's population has risen since these figures were gathered - and guess what? Hong Kong's population has declined, a little.

Recalculating for the new population of Singapore which Lee Kuan Yew said was 4.8 million a couple of days ago, gives a population density for Singapore, as of now, of 6,823 people per sq. km. This is 6.5 % MORE dense than Hong Kong at its population peak. How about now, though?

Well, Hong Kong's population has declined from 7.04 million in 2004, to 6.98 million for the latest figures in July 2007. That means Hong Kong's population density is now 6,351 people per sq. km. That means that Singapore's population density is presently 7.43% greater than Hong Kong's. No wonder it was beginning to feel crowded.

What this means is that Singapore is now the 3rd most densely populated nation on Earth. Hong Kong has slid to fourth position.

Let us look forward. The projected population (now) by Lee Kuan Yew, of 5.5 million would represent a density of 7,812.5 people per sq km. That is a full 23 % more dense than Hong Kong is presently.

What about the fabled 6.5 million population projection tabled last year? Well, that would give a population density of 9,233 people per sq. km. That is a population density of 45.4 % more dense than Hong Kong - basically half as dense again.

These figures are sobering to read. Anyone of imagination can understand what they mean for the quality of life for Singaporeans. Yet, it is good to hear that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew is re-evaluating the situation himself. He is, perhaps, listening to how people feel about it. Perhaps he is imagining the situation himself. Yes, by all means have a growing economy - but one must also consider the quality of life for every Singaporean and foreigner who lives and works here. If that quality of life becomes too low - they will simply leave, Singaporean and foreigner alike.

Personally, I have never visited Hong Kong. However, I have seen many pictures of its crowds - and my family have visited - so I hear that its crowdedness is hardly enviable. How much less enviable would Singapore be at 23 % more dense, or even 45.4 %? It would be a very different city - and probably an utterly unlivable one. It would be difficult to put that many people on these 704 sq kms of a city state and still afford them all a decent life.

I am relieved that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew himself is re-addressing these issues. There is hope, from what he is saying, that moderation in population growth might be a new aim.

It should be - for Singapore is already too crowded - and getting more so every day. Let us, indeed, as Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew says himself, not be as over-populated as Hong Kong. If that is to be so, however, we would, in fact, have to reduce the population hence forth. For Hong Kong is already taking the lead in becoming a less dense, more livable city, than Singapore. Let's follow her down (in population) shall we?

PS: Mentor Minister Lee is most respectable person in my life. I respected him for his unselfish and persistent zeal in transforming Singapore from slump to what it is today. Hopefully his followers will continue to pursue his noble deeds for Singapore.

PS: Mentor Minister Lee is most respectable person in my life. I respected him for his unselfish and persistent zeal in transforming Singapore from slump to what it is today. Hopefully his followers will continue to pursue his noble deeds for Singapore.

Want to be Mentor Minister Lee's friends?

Go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lee-Kuan-Yew/21930037394

Who Wants A Densely Packed Singapore?

We are talking about living in cosmopolitan Singapore with an ever increasing population (now standing about 5 million).

A recent visiting professor Edward Glaeser's short-sighted and highly flawed opinion that a population of 6.5 million would be essentially beneficial for Singapore. He also mentioned that a city with high density would also serve people's needs but he has conveniently forgotten that the basic human need of privacy, comfort and space would be severely compromised in public spaces if the population hit 6.5 million. His notion that there is nothing unhealthy about living in skyscrapers does not take into consideration that many Singaporeans who wish Singapore would lose its tag as a concrete jungle and focus on creating a city with more "green spaces".

He also welcomes the addition of more "smart people", whom he defined as a typical man in his 40s with children, without considering whether these individuals would be able to assimilate into Singapore culture with no accompanying problems which are already plaguing many immigrants here. Streets in many HDB are dirtier now with more littering and vandalism is on the rise. Part of this are contributes to a lot about foreigner's bad habits of throwing rubbish and spitting everywhere they seen as convenient. Crimes will also be on an increase with the rise in numbers of the population and the unemployed.

As it is, many of my peers have expressed a sincere wish to emigrate, not because of the high cost of living or the stressful lifestyle. It is primarily because they appalled by how Singapore has been transformed into a city where it is difficult to find a seat on the MRT on a weekday afternoon, or seek peace and solace even in the suburbs, when Sembawang Mall is now as crowded as Plaza Singapura. Homes are getting smaller and more expensive, and people feel blessed to secure a seat in a food court at any time of the day. Despite the high COE's and ERP's, road traffics are jammed to a crawling speed with more cars than ever.

Prof Glaeser's comments are certainly not representative of most Singaporeans who seriously wish for a less crowded living environment. Singapore is classified as the third most populated country in the world. With 6.5 million people, it will definitely be the number one most populated country in the world. Do we want to be number one in this too?

Singaporeans welcome and need foreign talents but without the need to over populate it and thus affecting our sedan lifestyles and compromising our children's security in the long run.

For more comments on contemporarily issues in Singapore by the community of Singaporeans, go to: http://theonlinecitizen.com/