People's park beauty rip off

[JR8]

Hmm fascinating observation, I could never stand those small shops blasting loud music but since their patronage is largely by teenagers i attributed my aversion to "being old", didn't occur to me that it could be by design.

What the others above above are saying, is that such places are designed for Asians.

[Mi Amigo]

Beeroclock, sorry to hear about your mum's experience. I think we have to accept that foreigners are viewed by many people in Singapore as fair game to be fleeced in any way possible. After ten years I got so tired of everything from the insidious Ang Moh Markup to dishonest landlords and agents, and there doesn't appear to be any attempt to either prevent it or deal with people who use such tactics.

Cynical? Me?

[Beeroclock]

Beeroclock, sorry to hear about your mum's experience. I think we have to accept that foreigners are viewed by many people in Singapore as fair game to be fleeced in any way possible. After ten years I got so tired of everything from the insidious Ang Moh Markup to dishonest landlords and agents, and there doesn't appear to be any attempt to either prevent it or deal with people who use such tactics.

Cynical? Me?

Thanks Mi Amigo, to be fair, these pressure selling / direct marketing companies are everywhere. Maybe the recourse (e.g. consumer advocacy/protection laws) is less here than in other Western countries. Ultimately I must admit my mum is at fault for falling for the scam, but it really annoys me these people who will try to squeeze as much money as they can, without a care in the world for the other person.

Leaving one eyebrow a different shade and trying to extort an extra $400 for this....

Which reminds me I better write that complaint on the tourism website now !

[Mi Amigo]

I agree that there are rip-off merchants everywhere, but if they were to strengthen consumer protection in Singapore it would benefit all consumers, not just the foreigners. Of course it would disadvantage all those Singaporeans who seek to do the ripping off though - perhaps that's why it's taking so long to get 'first world' consumer rights put in place.

[thismyvoice]

My mum's here visiting us and had a day out to people's park where she managed to get scammed by one of these beauty places.

It started off as a $5 eyebrow shaving, which managed to get her in the chair........ Then mum agreed to upgrade $8 to a proper eyebrow pluck/tweezering. After some arm twisting, she agreed to upgraded $100+ for the eyebrow painting (or whatever it's called), was supposed to take 20 mins max. Then halfway through this and with one eyebrow already done, the lady paints the second eyebrow a darker shade and says this is the $600 version, see how much better it is than the $100 version you have. Anyway now you have to take it, otherwise I can't correct the first eyebrow and they won't match. Only then my mum got really upset and said no. In the end she got out of there paying $200+ and after approx. 2 hours.

I'm pretty pissed about this. Obviously it's mum's fault for getting taken by this scam, but you know the way these people operate to exploit vulnerable people (tourists, elderly, etc). I am going to lodge a complaint (CASE??) in a vain attempt to prevent others getting scammed, but I wouldn't be surprised if the receipt given my mum is fake or to a wrong address.

CASE will not be able to fine them. CASE will just send letters and maybe give them a bad name. To claim back your money, you need to go to Small Claims Tribunal. You can also approach Singapore Tourist Promotion Board for assistance.

Most of the service staff in such shops are not Singaporeans. You can get hold of their names and particulars and report them to MOM. Make a police report. Kick up such a big fuss that hopefully when it is time for them to renew their passes or when they want to convert to PR, the application gets rejected.

[Beeroclock]

Thanks, yeah we don't want the money back but it's more just to give a feedback; try to make them rethink their approach and save some other poor soul from having a similar unpleasant experience

[Brah]

Apologies for the sidetrack, but I've been wanting to post this for some time, and this thread reminded me of it.

I know a guy here - a straight guy, who seemed to have no eyebrows, but some kind of black marker eyebrows drawn on. Since then I have seen a few other people, mostly women, like this as well.

I wouldn't embarrass him (or myself) by asking him about it, so I'll open this up here if anyone else has seen this.

[sundaymorningstaple]

They're tattooed on. Mostly elderly Chinese Aunties who have little or not eyebrows left, tend to get this done. Quite the opposite of Indians who, do just the opposite, in having their eyebrows threaded. That has to be just a painful I reckon.

[Hannieroo]

I had my whole face threaded once. I cried.

[Brah]

Just FYI, this person is an Indian, and a guy, and I'm not sure I've seen that combination before.

[BedokAmerican]

The situation described in the original post is something massage places do as well.

Instead of just doing the treatment you ask for, they'll keep pestering you into getting an upgrade to "this, that and the other." If you say no, they'll ask you again 2 minutes later. If you say no again, they'll ignore you and ask you again and again and bring out samples of lotions, scents, etc. that are supposed to help with skin texture, fine lines, revitalization, etc. (By the way, water is the #1 ingredient is all those so-called "beauty creams").

No matter how many times you say no, they'll keep pushing and pushing. I understand asking once if someone is interested in an upgrade, but they'll ask dozens of times. A massage is supposed to be relaxing, supposed to relieve tense muscles. A massage isn't supposed to be stressful and have you wishing it was over.

I will NEVER get a massage in Singapore again.

[Strong Eagle]

The situation described in the original post is something massage places do as well.

Instead of just doing the treatment you ask for, they'll keep pestering you into getting an upgrade to "this, that and the other." If you say no, they'll ask you again 2 minutes later. If you say no again, they'll ignore you and ask you again and again and bring out samples of lotions, scents, etc. that are supposed to help with skin texture, fine lines, revitalization, etc. (By the way, water is the #1 ingredient is all those so-called "beauty creams").

No matter how many times you say no, they'll keep pushing and pushing. I understand asking once if someone is interested in an upgrade, but they'll ask dozens of times. A massage is supposed to be relaxing, supposed to relieve tense muscles. A massage isn't supposed to be stressful and have you wishing it was over.

I will NEVER get a massage in Singapore again.

And then the NEXT thing they ask you is if you want a "local" massage.

[Brah]

The situation described in the original post is something massage places do as well.

Instead of just doing the treatment you ask for, they'll keep pestering you into getting an upgrade to "this, that and the other." If you say no, they'll ask you again 2 minutes later. If you say no again, they'll ignore you and ask you again and again and bring out samples of lotions, scents, etc. that are supposed to help with skin texture, fine lines, revitalization, etc. (By the way, water is the #1 ingredient is all those so-called "beauty creams").

No matter how many times you say no, they'll keep pushing and pushing. I understand asking once if someone is interested in an upgrade, but they'll ask dozens of times. A massage is supposed to be relaxing, supposed to relieve tense muscles. A massage isn't supposed to be stressful and have you wishing it was over.

I will NEVER get a massage in Singapore again.

It's definitely worth lodging a complaint with CASE, regardless of what they can do about it, the more complaints the better.

My SO had her hair damaged at a hair salon a few years ago, she let her fury fly and got them to a year or so of free treatments. They didn't treat her so nice after that of course, I went with her one time to give them the hairy eyeball. I would never take any of this stuff sitting down.

[JR8]

No matter how many times you say no, they'll keep pushing and pushing. I understand asking once if someone is interested in an upgrade, but they'll ask dozens of times. A massage is supposed to be relaxing, supposed to relieve tense muscles. A massage isn't supposed to be stressful and have you wishing it was over

I've heard this too, what a complete nightmare!

I think at some stage I'd just lose it... like ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjHdtMABQVM 'BBC Reporter Goes Crazy [interviewing scientologists]'

[JR8]

I finally had to pretty much shut the door in his face

Good for you, that's what you sometimes have to do. People like that rely upon, and exploit you being too well mannered and polite.

Make an exception, and stick it to 'em!