http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/ar...d-womans-feedback-when-she-actually-boss-wife
allsingaporestuff.com
STRAITS TIMES FEATURES COMPANY BASED ON WOMAN'S FEEDBACK WHEN SHE IS ACTUALLY THE BOSS' WIFE
I am writing to you regarding your article "'Refund Guru' seeks redress for buyers" published 3rd July 2016.
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/refund-guru-seeks-redress-for-buyers
Your article indicates that Ms Arissa Hee had found out about Solutionalization through a Google Search and had found Mr Kong to be more approachable and efficient.
I would like to raise questions regarding the authenticity and quality of this information.
Arissa Hee is Lorenn Arissa Seoh Hee Jin, Joel Kong's legal wife since October 2013 based on a search with the Registry Of Marriages Singapore. I am attaching a screenshot of this search to support my claim. Alternatively, this may also be verified on the ROM marriage check site with Joel's IC number - S8507188B.
It is not only unethical but appalling that this 'vigilante' has to hide a basic truth about its customers. Straits Times should not condone and endorse organizations that has such discrepancies in their claims. It is clear that Joel Kong has calculated and premeditated intentions to mislead consumers and boost his credibility.
While we appreciate that Straits Times offers quality features in its consumers' best interests, it is crucial that Straits Times conducts proper background checks before posting such articles.
Such is to ensure accuracy, reliability and accountability to readers.
Most importantly, Straits Times, the leading news agency in Singapore is known to be most reputable and should continue to safeguard its reputation for reporting accurate news.
I would greatly appreciate if Straits Times shares with me its stance on this matter.
Thank you.
*************************************************************
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/refund-guru-seeks-redress-for-buyers
straitstimes.com
'Refund guru' seeks redress for buyers
MELISSA LIN
When a gym pressured caterer Arissa Hee, 30, into signing a $6,000 package and charged the full amount to her credit card without her consent, she turned not to Singapore's consumer watchdog but to "refund guru" Joel Kong.
Mr Kong, 31, a former legal executive, set up a business last November that helps aggrieved consumers get their money back from errant businesses which may have misrepresented their products or, as in Ms Hee's case, used hard-sell tactics.
The role of his firm, Solutionalization - known formerly as The Refund Guru - may sound similar to that of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), but his tactics are anything but.
His modus operandi includes sending a letter of demand to the errant firm and phoning it daily.
If the firm still does not budge, he shares his client's story on social media and other sites to shame it into responding.
TOO TOUGH TO REBUFF
So far, nobody has ignored me.
MR JOEL KONG, on errant firms he has dealt with.
"I'd send the link (to the online story) to the firm," Mr Kong told The Sunday Times. "It can then either ignore, engage or negotiate with me. So far, nobody has ignored me."
He said he has helped eight consumers successfully so far and Ms Hee is one of them.
The existence of such a firm - through which people take dispute resolution into their own hands - arises from weak consumer-protection laws, said branding specialist Samir Dixit, managing director of Brand Finance Asia-Pacific.
The current process for consumers to get help is "too lengthy... (and) simply has very little legal backing", he said.
He added: "The extremely important aspect of any such dispute-resolution format is that it must remain neutral and unbiased... But this becomes a question mark with entities such as Solutionalization."
Mr Kong said he was prompted to set up the business after seeing people get turned away by the law firms at which he worked due to the high costs of hiring a lawyer.
"I wanted to give these consumers hope that someone can help them," he said.
Mr Kong charges his clients 10 per cent of the amount they want to claim. He said he "didn't earn a single cent" in the first four months after starting the business. He relied on the income of his wife.
"I've always told my clients I'm not a lawyer, I have no legal qualification, I'm just there to provide assistance," said Mr Kong, an A-level holder. He added: "I'm not undermining Case's position."
Ms Hee, who found out about Solutionalization through a Google search, said she did not engage a lawyer as it would have been costly and she might not have got her money back. She said she did not speak to Case first because she found Mr Kong more approachable and efficient.
"He didn't have fixed office hours so I could contact him any time. He even accompanied me to the gym to speak to the operations manager," she added.
Case also uses negative publicity by posting blacklists of errant retailers. But such tactics may not always work, said its executive director Seah Seng Choon.
"Consumers should be prepared for possible responses from the errant companies... (and) to pay for the cost of defending themselves if their activities end up in a civil suit," he said.
He advised aggrieved consumers to approach Case before dealing with the matter on their own.
allsingaporestuff.com
STRAITS TIMES FEATURES COMPANY BASED ON WOMAN'S FEEDBACK WHEN SHE IS ACTUALLY THE BOSS' WIFE
I am writing to you regarding your article "'Refund Guru' seeks redress for buyers" published 3rd July 2016.
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/refund-guru-seeks-redress-for-buyers
Your article indicates that Ms Arissa Hee had found out about Solutionalization through a Google Search and had found Mr Kong to be more approachable and efficient.
I would like to raise questions regarding the authenticity and quality of this information.
Arissa Hee is Lorenn Arissa Seoh Hee Jin, Joel Kong's legal wife since October 2013 based on a search with the Registry Of Marriages Singapore. I am attaching a screenshot of this search to support my claim. Alternatively, this may also be verified on the ROM marriage check site with Joel's IC number - S8507188B.
It is not only unethical but appalling that this 'vigilante' has to hide a basic truth about its customers. Straits Times should not condone and endorse organizations that has such discrepancies in their claims. It is clear that Joel Kong has calculated and premeditated intentions to mislead consumers and boost his credibility.
While we appreciate that Straits Times offers quality features in its consumers' best interests, it is crucial that Straits Times conducts proper background checks before posting such articles.
Such is to ensure accuracy, reliability and accountability to readers.
Most importantly, Straits Times, the leading news agency in Singapore is known to be most reputable and should continue to safeguard its reputation for reporting accurate news.
I would greatly appreciate if Straits Times shares with me its stance on this matter.
Thank you.
*************************************************************
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/refund-guru-seeks-redress-for-buyers
straitstimes.com
'Refund guru' seeks redress for buyers
MELISSA LIN
When a gym pressured caterer Arissa Hee, 30, into signing a $6,000 package and charged the full amount to her credit card without her consent, she turned not to Singapore's consumer watchdog but to "refund guru" Joel Kong.
Mr Kong, 31, a former legal executive, set up a business last November that helps aggrieved consumers get their money back from errant businesses which may have misrepresented their products or, as in Ms Hee's case, used hard-sell tactics.
The role of his firm, Solutionalization - known formerly as The Refund Guru - may sound similar to that of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), but his tactics are anything but.
His modus operandi includes sending a letter of demand to the errant firm and phoning it daily.
If the firm still does not budge, he shares his client's story on social media and other sites to shame it into responding.
TOO TOUGH TO REBUFF
So far, nobody has ignored me.
MR JOEL KONG, on errant firms he has dealt with.
"I'd send the link (to the online story) to the firm," Mr Kong told The Sunday Times. "It can then either ignore, engage or negotiate with me. So far, nobody has ignored me."
He said he has helped eight consumers successfully so far and Ms Hee is one of them.
The existence of such a firm - through which people take dispute resolution into their own hands - arises from weak consumer-protection laws, said branding specialist Samir Dixit, managing director of Brand Finance Asia-Pacific.
The current process for consumers to get help is "too lengthy... (and) simply has very little legal backing", he said.
He added: "The extremely important aspect of any such dispute-resolution format is that it must remain neutral and unbiased... But this becomes a question mark with entities such as Solutionalization."
Mr Kong said he was prompted to set up the business after seeing people get turned away by the law firms at which he worked due to the high costs of hiring a lawyer.
"I wanted to give these consumers hope that someone can help them," he said.
Mr Kong charges his clients 10 per cent of the amount they want to claim. He said he "didn't earn a single cent" in the first four months after starting the business. He relied on the income of his wife.
"I've always told my clients I'm not a lawyer, I have no legal qualification, I'm just there to provide assistance," said Mr Kong, an A-level holder. He added: "I'm not undermining Case's position."
Ms Hee, who found out about Solutionalization through a Google search, said she did not engage a lawyer as it would have been costly and she might not have got her money back. She said she did not speak to Case first because she found Mr Kong more approachable and efficient.
"He didn't have fixed office hours so I could contact him any time. He even accompanied me to the gym to speak to the operations manager," she added.
Case also uses negative publicity by posting blacklists of errant retailers. But such tactics may not always work, said its executive director Seah Seng Choon.
"Consumers should be prepared for possible responses from the errant companies... (and) to pay for the cost of defending themselves if their activities end up in a civil suit," he said.
He advised aggrieved consumers to approach Case before dealing with the matter on their own.
