Several police reports lodged against Mobile Air

Heaven · Nov 8, 2014

Several police reports lodged against Mobile Air

POSTED: 07 Nov 2014 23:10
UPDATED: 08 Nov 2014 00:10

SINGAPORE: The troubles of Mobile Air owner Jover Chew are far from over. Police on Friday (Nov 7) confirmed they have received “several reports” lodged against the Sim Lim Square retailer, “as well as a "related report of intentional harassment”. Police said they are looking into the matter.

Mobile Air has been the subject of intense scrutiny, after it made headlines for trying to give a S$1,010 refund to a customer in 18kg of coins. Days later, it tried to force a Vietnamese tourist to pay for a S$1,500 warranty after he had purchased an iPhone 6 for S$950, prompting him to go down on his knees to beg for a refund.

In a press conference on Friday, Sim Lim Square's chairman Raymond Chua said mall management has contacted the owner of the shop space leased to Mobile Air, and was told he now wants to terminate the contract. The owner had not known the space was rented to Mobile Air as the agreement was conducted via a third-party.

Satirical Facebook group SMRT Ltd (Feedback) has divulged personal information about Mr Jover Chew in retaliation for its business practices, posting photographs of Mr Chew and publicising his alleged address and telephone numbers. The group also asked netizens to send large amounts of fast food to his house. Separately, a T-shirt with a Hokkien vulgarity printed on it was left outside Mr Chew's shop on Thursday.

Mobile Air has been shuttered since Wednesday, and latest reports quote Mr Chew's wife as saying he has not been home for several days.

- CNA/xy

Heaven · Nov 8, 2014

Woes not over for Jover: Ex-Mobile Air staff exposes shop's "7 dirty tricks" -- which he earns $20k a month from

Posted on 07 November 2014

An ex-Mobile Air employee has spilled the beans about 7 underhanded techniques that store owners use to force customers to make purchases.

According to a report by Shin Min Daily News, the ex-employee felt guilty about Mobile Air’s unscrupulous methods of doing business and decided to expose how the staff worked.

The report also revealed that some staff had links to gangs, and this was used to intimidate customers who do not comply with Mobile Air’s requests.

Mobile Air and its owner Jover Chew became infamous after two recent incidents -- recently refunding a woman $1,010 in coins, which included one-cents and five-cents, and leaving a Vietnamese tourist in tears while kneeling and begging for a refund after buying an iPhone 6.

According to the ex-employee, these were the 7 underhanded techniques that Mobile Air staff commonly used to scam customers.

1. Mobile air entices customers with low prices. Their products often have a lower price tag than that of their competitors, but these products come with excessive hidden costs

2. After customers decide to make a purchase, the staff will take their credit cards.

3. Customers will then be made to sign a form saying that they agree to purchase the warranty for the product. The cost of the warranty, which may amount to as much as $1000, will be covered while customers are signing the form.

4. Customers will then be informed of the cost of the warranty after the form is signed.

5. The staff will threaten to call the police if customers make a scene at the shop.

6. Customers will also be told that all their actions were recorded and the footage may be used against them.

7. Staff with links to secret societies will also act like gangsters to intimidate customers.

According to AsiaOne, shop assistants could earn up to $10,000 - $20,000 a month by utilizing such techniques.

Tourists, maids, foreign workers and the elderly are frequent targets of Mobile Air.

Tourists with luggage are targeted especially because of the low likelihood of them returning.

Heaven · Nov 8, 2014

Sinkie · Nov 8, 2014

Karma works in mysterious ways. More mysterious than God.

Heaven · Nov 10, 2014

Online vigilante group in Sim Lim saga says its Paypal account was suspended

Published on Nov 10, 2014 11:00 AM

SMRT Ltd (Feedback), a satirical and online vigilante group, has gotten its Paypal account suspended after it had started to post personal details about the errant Sim Lim Square shopkeeper last week. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

By Kash Cheong

SINGAPORE- The online group which splashed personal info on an errant Sim Lim retailer on the Internet said its Paypal account has been suspended.

The account was suspended due to "suspicious activity", said the group which calls itself SMRT Ltd (Feedback) in a Facebook post on Saturday.

SMRT Ltd (Feedback), a satirical group that mocked the breakdowns and disruptions on public transport, was set up in 2011.

In the past week, it has started to post personal details about the errant shopkeeper Jover Chew after he was found to have used illegal sales tactics and humiliated a Vietnamese tourist.

Mr Chew's personal information and addresses of his various businesses, including that of his wife's, were shared over online forums and the Facebook page of SMRT Ltd (Feedback).

Some held up shirts with expletives in front of the shuttered Mobile Air shop and these photos were seen on the Facebook page of SMRT Ltd (Feedback). Multiple fast-food orders were also delivered to a home registered in Jover Chew's name.

It also started a campaign on crowdfunding site Indiegogo to raise US$10,000 in order to continue its activities and it launched a fund-raising effort on site youcaring to raise $5,000.

A check on both sites on Monday morning showed that the link to Indiegogo was broken while the fundraising campaign youcaring was still up.

It is not known who is behind the group, as the administrators of the Facebook page have remained anonymous.

But while their actions have been praised by some, politicians have warned against vigilantism.

Some netizens have gone "too far" and the police is probing in to a case of harassment in the recent Sim Lim Square saga, said Second Minister for Home Affairs S Iswaran, posting on Facebook on Saturday.

"Do exercise restraint and do not take matters into your own hands. Let due process take its course," Mr Iswaran urged on his Facebook page last Saturday.

"The Government is also studying other measures to protect consumers better. This may take some time especially if we need to amend our laws."

Ms Winnie Koh, Mr Chew's wife, said in reports that she had filed a police complaint against SMRT Ltd (Feedback).

Micron · Nov 13, 2014

CASE to start injunction proceedings against Mobile Air

POSTED: 12 Nov 2014 19:17
UPDATED: 12 Nov 2014 23:40

The Consumers Association of Singapore says it made the decision after the Sim Lim Square retailer declined to sign a Voluntary Compliance Agreement. CASE admits the process for an injunction may take several months.

Mobile Air at Sim Lim Square, shuttered on Nov 5 (Photo: Marcus Ramos)

SINGAPORE: The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said that it is taking out an injunction against Mobile Air, a retailer at Sim Lim Square. This comes after Mobile Air declined to sign a Voluntary Compliance Agreement (VCA) and "pledge to stop their unfair practices", CASE said in a news release on Wednesday (Nov 12).

In the past four to five years, five companies have declined to sign a VCA, CASE Executive Director Seah Seng Choon told Channel NewsAsia. Mobile Air would be the sixth one.

If the injunction is granted by a court, Mobile Air will be restricted from engaging in unfair practices, as stated in the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, said CASE. However, the entire process could take several months.

"In order to take an injunction against the company, CASE needs to seek necessary approval from relevant committees as well as the Injunction Proposals Review Panel at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and then apply to the court for the injunction," CASE explained.

Mobile Air sparked outrage after images of a Vietnamese tourist going down on his knees to tearfully beg for a refund on its premises went viral. This happened shortly after the shop made headlines for trying to give another customer a S$1,010 refund in 18kg of coins.

These incidents have cast a harsh spotlight on unethical retailers at the mall, with many customers coming forward to share stories of being cheated. They have also highlighted the limitations of current consumer protection regulations. Two Members of Parliament are expected to raise the issue during the next sitting of Parliament.

With some embassies and websites warning consumers to beware of unsaoury retail practices in Singapore, some have also expressed concern that retailers like Mobile Air could damage the reputation of Singapore as a safe place to shop for tourists.

The Singapore Tourism Board has said that it "takes a serious view of errant retailers who besmirch the reputation of Singapore", and police reports have been made against Mobile Air. A satirical Facebook page's ‘vigilante’ actions and a crowdfunding campaign to help the scammed Vietnamese tourist have also drawn a lot of attention.

CASE reiterated that it is committed to protecting consumers' interests and will "crack down strongly" against retailers who refuse to stop unfair practices despite repeated warnings.

- CNA/ly/xy

Heaven · Nov 14, 2014

Errant retailers at People's Park Complex draw more complaints than Sim Lim Square

By Loke Kok Fai
POSTED: 13 Nov 2014 16:38
UPDATED: 13 Nov 2014 23:56

Channel NewsAsia understands that some of these businesses target Chinese nationals. They include travel agencies selling budget airline tickets to China, as well as massage parlours and beauty salons, with hidden service charges.

SINGAPORE: Sim Lim Square has been in the spotlight due to unsavoury business practices of a few retailers. However, latest figures from the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) show it is not the mall with the most complaints from Singaporean customers. That dubious honour falls on People's Park Complex.

From Jan to Oct this year, CASE received 146 complaints from local shoppers against retailers at People's Park Complex. In comparison, shops in Sim Lim Square got 103 complaints.

This figure only includes cases filed by locals, and does not include tourist complaints. It also includes both filed cases - where consumers authorise CASE to handle matters on their behalf - and assisted cases, in which CASE helps draft a letter for consumers to approach the vendors themselves.

The number of complaints directed at People's Park Complex retailers has in fact been rising since 2012, and not all cases relate to IT or mobile phones.

"Some of the complaints relate to tours and travel agencies. Some relate to maid agencies. The complaints are quite wide-ranging because People's Park Complex has a wider range of retailers," explained CASE President Lim Biow Chuan. "It doesn't mean that a large number of complaints means all are using the same kind of sales tactics as those you see at Sim Lim Square."

Channel NewsAsia understands that some of these businesses target Chinese nationals. They include travel agencies selling budget airline tickets to China, as well as massage parlours and beauty salons, with hidden service charges.

MALL MANAGEMENT ASKS FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGE

The management of People's Park Complex said that for the past two years, it has taken measures to tackle errant sales tactics, and worked closely with relevant authorities - including CASE, police and Singapore Tourism Board - to reduce such incidents.

"(While) People's Park Complex may not have eradicated the problem completely, at least it has been noted that the malpractice of sales tactics by these operators here has been gradually reduced lately," it said in a statement.

The management added that it will continue to monitor the problem and take "appropriate steps", and acknowledged that retailers at the Chinatown shopping centre have complained that their interests have been affected by these errant sales practices.

"We hope that the Government could pass the legislation as soon as possible so that any malpractice of sales tactics could be dealt with effectively by law, to protect the interest of the public and the image of Singapore as a shopping paradise," the management said.

CASE added that it is not in the business of trying to shut down errant retailers, and prefers to work with retailers to ensure that they comply with the Consumer Protection Act.

- CNA/kk/xy

Heaven · Nov 15, 2014

Mobile Air shop reopens with new name

By Jessica Yeo
POSTED: 14 Nov 2014 22:31
UPDATED: 14 Nov 2014 23:50

SINGAPORE: After being shuttered for a week amid backlash over unsavoury business practices, the shop space for Mobile Air at Sim Lim Square has reopened - this time, under the name HJ Mobile.

The shop has a new owner, Ricky Lee, who used to work for Mr Jover Chew, former boss of Mobile Air. Mr Lee said he bought the products off Mr Chew at a 20 per cent discount and was also offered a discount for rent.

Shopkeepers Channel NewsAsia spoke with said some stalls at Sim Lim Square which have constantly changed names are alleged to be linked to Mr Chew.

Mobile Air and Mr Chew have been in the spotlight recently - first for trying to issue a refund of S$1,010 in 18kg of coins; then for allegedly trying to force a Vietnamese tourist to pay for an additional S$1,500 warranty, to the point where he got down on his knees to tearfully beg for a refund.

Police confirmed they had received several police reports in connection with Mobile Air last week. The Consumers Association of Singapore said it will be able to continue with injunction proceedings against Mobile Air as it is still registered on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.

Channel NewsAsia understands that a shop can register a company under one name, but use a different one on the signboard.

Mr Steven Lam, Director of Templars Law said it would be prudent for customers to scrutinise the businesses they patronise. "You can't just look at the shop name. You need to go behind the shop name. Is there a registration? And the simplest way to look at it is if they issue you an invoice - do they provide you with the registration number? Because under our current rules, all invoices must have the company registration number or the unique entity number printed on them," he said.

- CNA/dl

ZhuRong · Nov 19, 2014

Police raid errant Sim Lim Square retailer

My Paper Tuesday, Nov 18, 2014

Police raided errant Sim Lim Square retailer Mobile Air on Sunday and seized documents and products from the shop.

Eight plainclothes officers were at the shop at about 4pm for more than two hours, The Straits Times reported, citing Shin Min Daily News.

The officers left with four large boxes of documents and products. They also took three computer monitors.

Reporters at the scene also noted that Apple and Samsung mobile phones and tablets were among the products placed in the boxes.

An officer was also seen taking photographs of the store and its products. Other officers went through at least 15 document files and 30 books.

When contacted, the police confirmed that officers were at a mobile-phone retailer at Sim Lim Square yesterday "as part of follow-ups... to police reports lodged" against the store. The police said it was "inappropriate for us to comment further".

The mobile-phone shop has been under fire for the last few weeks over its unethical sales tactics.

Late last month, Mobile Air gave a customer a refund of more than $1,000 in coins. Then, earlier this month, a Vietnamese tourist was scammed by the store and reduced to tears.

The shop reopened for business on Friday after being closed for several days, but apparently under a new owner.

When The Straits Times visited the shop on Friday, its owner, Jover Chew, was not there. Instead, Ricky Lee, 33, who was at the store, said that he had bought over the business and would be reopening it under a different name, HJ Mobile.

Mr Lee said he had bought over all remaining stock at the shop and taken over Mr Chew's lease, which still has about a year left on it.

Mr Lee was present when officers went down to the shop on Sunday, said Lianhe Wanbao. He and another employee were seen speaking with police officers before going into the store's backroom.

He left the shop at about 6.45pm and told reporters that if the police needed his help, he would cooperate.

"Police are investigating Mobile Air. This has nothing to do with me," he said.

Meanwhile, the authorities and Sim Lim Square's management council met yesterday to discuss ways to deal with the errant-retailer problem at the mall, after the council's plea to the Government earlier this month for help with it.

At the meeting, the council shared the challenges faced in dealing with errant retailers and hoped that the laws could be strengthened to mete out harsher penalties to such retailers, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a statement.

The mall is also looking into more ways to raise awareness among consumers and inform them about errant stores.

Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck, who was at the meeting, said it was agreed that "more effective measures must be in place as... unfair business practices cannot be allowed to continue unheeded".

He noted that the management council could implement some preventive measures in the meantime and take a strong stand against errant retailers.

The authorities are also looking at enhancing Singapore's laws and strengthening the enforcement process, he said.

"We urge consumers to continue exercising caution when making purchases, and retailers to be fair and professional."

[email protected]

Ultravox · Dec 2, 2014

CASE appeals to Sim Lim Square, People's Park Complex management to address errant retailers issue

POSTED: 01 Dec 2014 15:43
UPDATED: 01 Dec 2014 23:18

The consumer watchdog has called on the management of both malls to amend their rules and by-laws to state that retailers must conduct business in accordance to practices set out in Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act.

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SINGAPORE: Watchdog Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) is "extremely concerned" about the large increase in the number of complaints involving errant retailers located at Sim Lim Square and People's Park Complex, and has urged the malls' management team to do their part in strengthening the enforcement process against repeat offenders.

CASE said that while it is able to invite retailers to sign a Voluntary Compliance Agreement to stop their unfair practices, it believes that the Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) of both malls should also do their part.

"We appeal to the MCST to amend their rules and by-laws to make it mandatory for all landlords to state that retailers must conduct their business in accordance to fair practices set out under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act in their rental agreements," said Mr Seah Seng Choon, Executive Director of CASE in a statement to the media on Monday (Dec 1).

"If the landlord carries out their own retail business, the landlord should also be bound by duty to engage in fair practices under the CPFTA," he added.

If the retailers or landlords breach the Act, the MCST should have the authority to compel the landlords to terminate the rental agreement and, if necessary, impose severe penalties on the landlords and/or retailers that are in breach, CASE said.

For those that repeatedly breach or condone errant sales practices, the MCST should have the power to "force sell" the property to another owner, it added.

"CASE has always been an advocate of consumer rights and fair trading. We await the MCST's response by Dec 5, 2014," Mr Seah said.

- CNA/kk

ZhuRong · Dec 3, 2014

Jover Chew calls police after going berserk on reporter at Mobile Air: Here's what he allegedly did

Posted on 02 December 2014

PHOTO: Lianhe Wanbao

The infamous Jover Chew made an appearance at Sim Lim Square last Friday afternoon (Nov 28), alerting both Police and reporters to the scene.

According to a report on Lianhe Wanbao, Chew was spotted with a few others, moving goods out of the shop that used to be Mobile Air.

A sales assistant at another mobile store, Lim, told reporters that Chew had brought a few people along with him into the shop at around 2pm.

They pulled the shutters down and stayed inside the shop to pack up.

"While they were inside, reporters stood outside their shop to take photos," said the 25-year-old witness.

According to Lim, this upset Chew, who came out of the shop and asked reporters to stop taking pictures. A dispute ensued between both parties.

"They were arguing very loudly. Jover Chew asked that reporter to stop shooting, but the other party refused. He then returned to his shop to call the police," said Lim.

Lianhe Wanbao reported that Chew went berserk on the spot. He apparently tried to snatch the reporter's camera and threatened to smash the other party's phone.

It is understood that Jover Chew left the place about an hour later with over 10 boxes of goods. Police also left at the same time.

From observations, Mobile Air is now practically empty. All that remain are a few handphone accessories and covers.

StealEat · May 28, 2015

Jover Chew and 4 others arrested over cheating cases at Sim Lim Square

Published on May 27, 2015 9:15 PM

Jover Chew (above) and his shop became infamous after videos were posted last November of a crying Vietnamese tourist begging staff at the shop to refund his money. -- PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER FILE

By Lester Hio & Chew Hui Min

SINGAPORE – Jover Chew, the owner of now-defunct Mobile Air, and four other men were arrested on Wednesday for a series of cheating cases at Sim Lim Square.

The five men arrested were between 31 and 38 years old.

The police said they had received several reports against Mobile Air in 2014 for dishonest sales practices in which customers were coerced into buying mobile phones and in-house warranties at inflated prices.

These victims ended up paying for the mobile phones at much higher prices or had to pay fees to cancel the deal.

Chew, 32, and his shop became infamous after a video of a crying Vietnamese tourist begging staff at the shop to refund his money went viral in November 2014.

Factory worker Pham Van Thoai, who went to Mobile Air to buy an iPhone 6 for his girlfriend, was initially quoted a price of $950. But he was later asked to pay an additional $1,500 for a warranty.

Mr Thoai was told that if he failed to pay the additional amount, he would not only lose the $950 but also the new phone. He knelt down, pleading with Chew to return his money.

After the video went viral, online vigilantes posted Chew's personal details online, driving him out of the mall.

A crowdfunding campaign was initiated to raised funds to buy a new phone for Mr Thoai. About $15,500 was raised, with $1,538 used to buy an iPhone 6 for Mr Thoai. But he declined the gift, accepting only about $200 worth of food items from Singapore.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Prodigy · May 29, 2015

Jover Chew unemployed for 5 months: Reports

AsiaOne Thursday, May 28, 2015

SINGAPORE - Jover Chew, one of five men arrested for a series of cheating cases at Sim Lim Square, has reportedly been out of work for five months.

Chew's mother told Lianhe Wanbao that he had turned up at her hawker stall to help out on a few occasions, but she had told him to stay away. "I'm not worried about how others will view us, I just don't want to rake up the past."

She said her family had advised Chew not to work until the Sim Lim Square matter blows over. She said he has been spending much of his time fishing, a hobby of his for years.

Chew's mother said that she had been helping him out financially since he has been out of work.

Shin Min Daily News reported that Chew's mother is hoping that the Sim Lim Square matter can come to a close quickly - now that a court hearing has been scheduled - so that Chew can "start afresh".

"He didn't rob or kill, I will be in court to support him," she told Wanbao. She also said that Chew will have nothing to do with the mobile phone business in the future.

Wife: We've divorced

Chew's wife, Winnie Koh, claims that they have divorced and that she is no longer in contact with him.

She told Shin Min: "We are no longer related. I don't interfere with his matters, nor can I comment on them."

Koh, 32, had told Wanbao that she has her "own life" now and that her "new partner" does not want her to be implicated in Chew's matter.

[email protected]

Prodigy · May 30, 2015

Jover Chew bailed out after being charged with cheating 25 victims at Sim Lim Square

Published on May 29, 2015 1:19 PM

Jover Chew leaving the State Courts on Friday. His mother posted $40,000 bail. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

Jover Chew Chiew Loon, the owner of Mobile Air, was charged in court on Friday morning with cheating a total of 25 victims at his now-defunct Sim Lim Square shop. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

Edmund Lim Hong Ching, 33, faces two counts of cheating involving $1,600. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, was charged with one count of cheating involving $330. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG 

By Amir Hussain

SINGAPORE - Jover Chew Chiew Loon, the owner of Mobile Air, was bailed on Friday afternoon after being charged in court earlier in the day with cheating a total of 25 victims at his now-defunct Sim Lim Square shop.

He walked out of the State Courts at around 3.45pm, after his mother posted $40,000 bail.

Chew was charged with 25 counts of cheating involving a total of $14,449 and one count of criminal intimidation for threatening to cause a victim's work permit to be revoked.

The 33-year-old and four other men were arrested by police on Wednesday. The four were also charged yesterday, and faced between one to 15 counts of cheating.

Chew, who was represented by lawyer Chia Kok Seng, did not enter a plea. Mr Chia asked for time to take instructions from his client, and a pre-trial conference has been fixed for June 25.

Among his accomplices, Koh Guan Seng, 38, was charged with 15 counts of cheating involving $9,789. Kam Kok Keong, 31, faces 8 charges of cheating involving $3,710.

Edmund Lim Hong Ching, 33, faces two counts of cheating involving $1,600.

Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, was charged with one count of cheating involving $330.

The four men were all unrepresented. They indicated to the court that they would be pleading guilty at a later date. Their case will be heard again on June 19.

Several police reports were lodged in 2014 against Mobile Air for dishonest sales practices. Customers said they were coerced into buying mobile phones and in-house warranties at inflated prices.

"These victims ended up paying for the hand phones at much higher prices or had to pay fees to cancel the deal," said the police on Wednesday, the day the five men were arrested.

Earlier on Friday morning, Chew, Koh and Kam arrived at the State Courts at around 7.30am in a police van.

Chew and his shop became infamous after a video of a crying Vietnamese tourist begging staff at the shop for a refund went viral last November.

The tourist, factory worker Pham Van Thoai, was initially quoted a price of $950 for an iPhone 6 which he wanted to buy for his girlfriend. But he was later asked to pay an additional $1,500 for a warranty.

Mr Thoai was told that if he failed to pay the additional amount, he would not only lose the $950 but also the new phone. He went on his knees, pleading with Chew to return his money.

A crowdfunding campaign was initiated to raise funds to buy a new phone for Mr Thoai. About $15,500 was raised, with $1,538 used to buy an iPhone for him. But Mr Thoai declined the gift, accepting only about $200 worth of food items from Singaporeans.

Chew also came under the spotlight for refunding a woman $1,010 in coins, which included one- and five-cent coins that came up to 18kg last October.

The woman from China had turned to the Small Claims Tribunal after Mobile Air charged her an additional $1,400 for a mobile phone.

Both victims are not among the 25 victims named in the charges on Friday morning.

Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao reported on Thursday that Chew has been unemployed for the past five months, and occasionally helps out at his mother's hawker stall.

Shin Min Daily News reported that Chew was having breakfast with his mother on Wednesday when he received a call to report to the police at 3pm.

He then told her that he would have to stay at the police station for 48 hours, and would be charged in court on Friday morning.

"He and the others have been asked to assist with investigations many times in the past half year," Madam Chew was quoted by Shin Min as saying.

Both Madam Chew and her son declined to comment when approached on Friday afternoon.

For each of their cheating offences, Chew and his accomplices face up to 10 years in jail and a fine. For criminal intimidation, Chew faces up to two years's jail, a fine or both.

[email protected]

Prodigy · May 30, 2015

Jover Chew and Mobile Air staff charged over cheating cases at Sim Lim Square

Published on May 29, 2015 9:49 AM

Jover Chew (centre), arriving at the State Courts in a police van on Friday, on May 29, 2015. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

By Amir Hussain

SINGAPORE - Jover Chew, the owner of now-defunct Mobile Air, and four other men were charged in court on Friday morning over cheating cases at their now-defunct Sim Lim Square shop.

The five men, aged between 31 and 38, were arrested on Wednesday "for a series of cheating cases", said the police in a statement.

Each of the five faces between one and 26 charges. Chew alone faces 25 cheating offences and one criminal intimidation charge.

Several police reports were lodged in 2014 against the mobile phone shop for dishonest sales practices. Customers said they were coerced into buying mobile phones and in-house warranties at inflated prices.

"These victims ended up paying for the hand phones at much higher prices or had to pay fees to cancel the deal," said the police.

The police conducted extensive follow-up investigations, and interviewed victims and witnesses to gather evidence before consulting with the Attorney-General's Chambers to bring them to court.

On Friday morning, Chew and two of the men were brought from remand in a police van to the State Courts at about 7.30am.

Another former Mobile Air employee, Edmund Lim Hong Ching, was spotted arriving at the State Courts at 8.50am. He was reported to also be known as Ricky Lee and Wilfred, and took over Chew's shop after the owner closed it and went missing late last year.

Chew and his shop became infamous after a video of a crying Vietnamese tourist begging staff at the shop for a refund went viral last November.

The tourist, factory worker Pham Van Thoai, was initially quoted a price of $950 for an iPhone 6 which he wanted to buy for his girlfriend. But he was later asked to pay an additional $1,500 for a warranty.

Mr Thoai was told that if he failed to pay the additional amount, he would not only lose the $950 but also the new phone. He went on his knees, pleading with Chew to return his money.

After the video of the incident went viral, online vigilantes posted Chew's personal details online, driving him out of the mall.

A crowdfunding campaign was initiated to raise funds to buy a new phone for Mr Thoai. About $15,500 was raised, with $1,538 used to buy an iPhone for him. But Mr Thoai declined the gift, excepting only about $200 worth of food items from Singaporeans.

Chew also came under the spotlight for refunding a woman $1,010 in coins, which included one- and five-cent coins that came up to 18kg last October.

The woman from China had turned to the Small Claims Tribunal after Mobile Air charged her an additional $1,400 for a mobile phone.

Chinese evening newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported on Thursday that Chew was having breakfast with his mother the day before when he received a call to report to the police at 3pm.

He then told her that he would have to stay at the police station for 48 hours, and would be charged in court on Friday morning, Shin Min reported.

Prodigy · May 30, 2015

Arrest 'sends strong signal'

Cheryl Faith Wee, Aw Cheng Wei The Straits Times Friday, May 29, 2015

Police officers taking away boxes containing items such as documents, mobile phones and tablets, from former mobile phone shop Mobile Air in Sim Lim Square during a raid.

The recent arrest of the errant owner of a now-defunct shop in Sim Lim Square sends a strong signal to other would-be culprits, said retailers in the IT and electronics mall.

The hope is that the strong move by the authorities will deter shop owners from exhibiting such behaviour in the future.

On Wednesday, Mr Jover Chew, the owner of Mobile Air, known for its infamous incident of overcharging a Vietnamese tourist who begged on his knees for a refund, was arrested. Last year, the police had received several reports against the shop for dishonest sales practices.

Many of the problematic spots have already seen a drop in complaints about errant traders.

According to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), there were just 12 complaints made against shops in Sim Lim Square from January to April this year, compared with 32 complaints for the same period last year.

Said Case executive director Seah Seng Choon: "The arrest sends a strong signal that errant traders will not be left alone and that our authorities will investigate and take appropriate measures against any recalcitrant traders."

He added that there is still a need for consumer protection laws to be strengthened to address the problem of errant retailers reopening under a different name.

The Sim Lim Square management itself also recently passed by-laws which allow the management to install CCTV cameras and a voice recorder system in front of shops which have more than three complaints made against them to Case or the Singapore Tourism Board.

Said Ms Liu Hui Ni, 31, who works in a computer accessories store in Sim Lim Square: "Since shopkeepers here now know that they might be arrested, it is a strong deterrent because who wants to risk his rice bowl?"

Some businesses have noticed a positive change in People's Park Complex too. Mr Steven Chong, 57, an optometrist in the shopping mall, said: "With the law taking action against unscrupulous shops, shopkeepers are more careful now."

Others are not so certain that the errant shop problem, in Sim Lim Square and elsewhere, has been nipped in the bud. Said a 50-year-old, who has worked in an audio equipment shop in Sim Lim Square since the 1990s and wanted to known only as Mr Lee: "I think if we let our guard down, errant retailers might pop up again. The arrest is a good reminder, but it is not a complete solution. How long will the good behaviour last?"

Meanwhile, at Mr Chew's registered address in Yishun, neighbours told The Straits Times that they saw him "as recently as a week ago" though his wife, Ms Winnie Koh, 32, claimed she had left him.

Ms Koh insisted in Mandarin: "We are no longer together so it is inappropriate for me to comment on his well-being."

Chinese daily Shin Min Daily News reported yesterday that Mr Chew had sent his mother a text message saying that he had to appear in court today.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Prodigy · Jun 20, 2015

Sim Lim cheating case: Three of Jover Chew's accomplices ask for time to get a lawyer

Published on Jun 19, 2015 5:05 PM

The four employees - (from left) Koh Guan Seng, 38, Kam Kok Keong, 32, Lim Hong Ching, 33, and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32 - had previously indicated that they would plead guilty. -- ST PHOTOS: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Lim Yi Han

SINGAPORE - Three of the staff from a Sim Lim Square mobile shop where a Vietnamese tourist begged for a refund, on Friday asked the court for more time to raise funds for a lawyer. They and two others, including the shop's owner Jover Chew, were charged with cheating last month.

The four employees - Koh Guan Seng, 38, Kam Kok Keong, 31, Lim Hong Ching, 33, and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32 - had previously indicated that they would plead guilty when they were charged. At the time, they were not represented by any lawyer.

Koh faces 15 counts of cheating involving $9,789. Kam was charged with eight counts involving $3,710. Lim Hong Ching faces two counts of cheating involving $1,600. Kelvin Lim was charged with one count involving $330.

The court heard on Friday that Koh has engaged a lawyer to reduce charges and asked for a pre-trial conference on June 25.

Kam also told the court that he needed time to raise funds for a lawyer, so his case will be mentioned at a pre-trial conference on June 25 too. Both Koh and Kam are out on $20,000 bail each.

Cases involving Lim Hong Ching and Kelvin Lim would also be set for pre-trial conference on June 25. The duo said they too wanted to hire lawyers and are each out on $10,000 bail.

On top of cheating, 33-year-old Chew was also charged with criminal intimidation, for threatening to have a victim's work permit revoked. He did not enter a plea and is out on bail.

His now-defunct shop Mobile Air gained notoriety after Vietnamese tourist Pham Van Thoai was seen kneeling and pleading for his money in a video which went viral last November.

The factory worker alleged that he had been quoted a price of $950 for an iPhone 6, but was later asked to fork out an additional $1,500 for a warranty.

Chew also came under fire for refunding a Chinese national $1,010 in coins that came up to 18kg last October. The woman had turned to the Small Claims Tribunal after Mobile Air overcharged her for a mobile phone.

Both Mr Thoai and the woman were not among those named in the charges against Chew. But several police reports were lodged last year against Mobile Air by other customers who said they had been coerced into buying mobile phones and in-house warranties at inflated prices.

For each cheating offence, the four of them and Chew face up to 10 years' jail and a fine. If convicted of criminal intimidation, Chew also faces up to two years in jail, a fine or both.

[email protected]

Callisto · Jul 31, 2015

Sim Lim case: Jover Chew faces additional charges of insulting behaviour and conspiracy to cheat

Jover Chew leaving the court on May 29, 2015. Chew now faces 28 charges, including fresh ones of insulting behaviour and conspiracy to cheat. Jover Chew leaving the court on May 29, 2015. Chew now faces 28 charges, including fresh ones of insulting behaviour and conspiracy to cheat. PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER

Published Jul 30, 2015, 1:45 pm SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - Two more charges were tendered against Jover Chew Chiew Loon, owner of the now-defunct Sim Lim Square store, Mobile Air.

This was during a pre-trial conference on Thursday, and it brought the total number of charges he faces to 28.

One of the fresh charges accuses Chew, 33, of insulting behaviour towards a customer, Ms Zou Jing Tong. He is accused of subjecting the woman, from China, to picking up coins amounting to $547 from the floor, with intent to cause her distress.

The money was in part satisfaction of an order made by the Small Claims Tribunal.

The alleged incident took place at Chew's shop at Sim Lim Square, Rochor Canal Road, on Oct 28 last year.
Jover Chew Chiew Loon, the owner of Mobile Air, was charged in court on Friday morning with cheating a total of 25 victims at his now-defunct Sim Lim Square shop. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

The other charge states that Chew and his ex-employee, Kam Kok Keong, 31, conspired to cheat walk-in customers between December 2013 and Sept 24 last year.

The charge further says that on Sept 24 last year, Kam tricked Ms Zou into believing that an iPhone 6 plus would be sold to her at $1,600 when he knew to be false, thus inducing Ms Zou to hand over the money to him.

Kam was also slapped with a similar charge involving Ms Zou. He now faces nine charges in all.

Besides cheating, Chew has also been accused of criminal intimidation by threatening to have a victim's work permit revoked.

Three other staff members of Mobile Air have also been hauled to court for abetment by conspiracy to cheat and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.

Koh Guan Seng, 38, faces 15 charges involving $9,789. Lim Hong Ching, 33, has two charges involving $1,600, and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, one involving $330.

Mobile Air gained notoriety after Vietnamese tourist Pham Van Thoai was seen kneeling and pleading for his money in a video which went viral last November.

The factory worker alleged that he had been quoted a price of $950 for an iPhone 6, but was later asked to fork out an additional $1,500 for a warranty.

The maximum penalty for cheating is 10 years' jail and a fine.

The five men's next pre-trial conference is on Aug 27. They are all on bail.

Vivendi · Oct 2, 2015

Jover Chew's four accomplices plead guilty to cheating charges

Salesmen (from left) Koh Guan Seng, Kam Kok Keong, Lim Hong Ching and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei have pleaded guilty to conspiring to cheat customers at Mobile Air.ST PHOTOS: WONG KWAI CHOW

Published 1 October 2015
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - Four salesmen from a Sim Lim Square mobile shop, where a Vietnamese tourist had begged for a refund, pleaded guilty on Thursday (Oct 1) to engaging in a conspiracy to cheat walk-in customers.

The four - Koh Guan Seng, 38, Kam Kok Keong, 31, Lim Hong Ching, 34, and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32 - faced between one and 15 charges each.

Koh, who cheated a total of $9,789, admitted to six charges; Kam, accused of nine counts involving $5,310, admitted to four charges; Lim Hong Ching, 34, pleaded guilty to two charges amounting to $1,600; and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, one charge involving $330.

They were working for Jover Chew Chiew Loon, 33, director of the now-defunct Mobile Air, at Sim Lim Square last year. Chew's case will be mentioned on Oct 28.

The court heard that Chew manned the shop personally, controlled the pricing of the mobile devices and gave detailed instructions to his salesmen on how to conduct sales.

The salesman would offer a mobile device to a customer at an attractive price, which would be lower than the "cost price''.

When the customer indicated that he wished to buy the product at the quoted price, the salesman would ask the customer to make full payment.

Upon payment, the customer would not be given the device but asked to sign an invoice which reflected the agreed price. However, once it was signed, additional items and amounts would be added to it. Such items could include "warranty'' or "in-house package''.

The salesman would then alter the total price on the invoice and demand the extra amounts from the customer.

This method of collecting payment in two tranches was devised by Chew, the court heard.

The salesman would use the signed invoice, which now reflected the new items as basis for refusing to hand over the product unless the victim paid the additional amounts.

In their submissions on sentencing, the prosecution said this was a brazen case of cheating of shocking notoriety.

Aggravating factors cited were the serious violation of corporate integrity and operating under a facade of legitimacy; offences committed against vulnerable victims; deep disquiet and effect on public confidence in the tourism and retail industries; and effect on retail landscape.

The prosecution is seeking a sentence of four to five months' jail on each charge.

District Judge Toh Yung Cheong adjourned the case to Oct 14 for counsel to reply to the prosecution's submissions.

Tauriel · Oct 3, 2015

Brazen fraud, thuggish behaviour in Mobile Air case: DPP

(From left) Koh Guan Seng, Kam Kok Keong, Lim Hong Ching and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei admitted to conspiring to cheat customers. Their alleged accomplice, Jover Chew Chiew Loon, owner of the now-defunct shop, will have his case mentioned on Oct 28.ST PHOTOS: WONG KWAI CHOW

Published Oct 2, 2015, 5:00 am SGT

Stiff sentences urged against four salesmen in case that tarnished Republic's image
Elena Chong Court Correspondent

The prosecution yesterday pressed for stiff sentences to be meted out to four salesmen from a Sim Lim Square mobile phone shop, who admitted to conspiring to cheat customers.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Eunice Lim, together with DPPs Charis Low and Victoria Ting, said the case had cast a shadow and brought disrepute to the integrity and reputation of Singapore's tourism and retail industries.

"This is a brazen case of cheating of shocking notoriety," said Ms Lim in her address on sentence following guilty pleas by the four freelance sales executives of Mobile Air, where a Vietnamese tourist had begged for a refund.

Koh Guan Seng, 38, who faced 15 charges of abetment by conspiracy to cheat walk-in customers of $9,789, admitted to six counts. Kam Kok Keong, 31, whose nine charges amounted to $5,860, pleaded guilty to four charges, while Lim Hong Ching, 34, and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, admitted to two charges and one charge respectively.

The prosecution is asking the court to impose four to five months' jail per charge.

The men's alleged accomplice, Jover Chew Chiew Loon, 33, owner of the now-defunct store, will have his case mentioned on Oct 28.

DPP Lim said the business model employed by Mobile Air's salesmen constituted a serious violation of corporate integrity.

They operated in a firm registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and assumed the guise of a legitimate retailer, strategically located in a large and popular mall selling consumer electronic goods.

This facade of legitimacy, she said, extended to structuring transactions to include the use of signed written agreements, to mislead customers.

The salesmen offered popular mobile phone models at bargain prices and lulled unsuspecting victims into a sense of security, making them believe that the documents they signed were part of a normal and genuine transaction.

"In fact, the accused persons either misrepresented the content of warranty agreements to induce customers to sign, or altered the various documents after customers had signed them, in order to use the documents as a basis to demand additional payments," she said.

The signed written agreements bolstered their demands when they were confronted by the police and Consumers Association of Singapore, or when claims were brought before the Small Claims Tribunal.

It was obvious, she said, that the seemingly objective documentary evidence, which was in fact faked, helped disguise the salesmen's scams as contractual disputes.

Emboldened by this, the accused persons challenged customers to lodge reports or even sue Mobile Air.

"Such thuggish behaviour exploits the sale-of-goods transactions and inverts the function of written agreements, which are meant to provide certainty and clarity to commercial transactions, and must be categorically denounced," she said.

Other aggravating factors cited include the fact that most of the victims were foreigners, low-wage daily-rated workers with limited understanding of the English language, consumer rights and the avenues of seeking recourse.

Ms Lim said there was deep public disquiet and the matter captured the attention of mainstream media here as well as internationally.

"There is a particular public interest in discouraging such errant retail practices and safeguarding the trustworthiness of day-to-day transactions premised on oral representations leading to the delivery of money," she said, adding that society expects, if not demands, a high level of honesty from retailers.

The total amount involved for the four accused is $16,149.

Koh's lawyer Edmund Wong said his client did not understand that it was cheating at first, but when he did, he felt indebted to Chew who had loaned him a substantial amount of money. Koh, who is divorced, asked Chew to stop, but this fell on deaf ears.

The lawyer for the other men, Mr K. Jayakumar Naidu, said his clients were mere freelance employees and acted on Chew's instructions.

District Judge Toh Yung Cheong adjourned the case to Oct 14.

The maximum penalty for the offence is 10 years' jail and a fine.

Several police reports lodged against Mobile Air

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