The ZangTheft Saga: A Singaporean Family Adrift in a Scam Sea
The Mother‑Daughter Dilemma
When Ms Sophia (62) – a seasoned businesswoman with a portfolio of properties and company shares – first received a tempting investment pitch from a man claiming to be a Fuzhou entrepreneur, she was all in. Her daughter, Ms Ong (30), who owns a tuition agency in Yishun, tried to steer her mum away, but old habits die hard.
“I told her to be careful, but she was confident, headstrong, and had 100 % faith in this guy,” Ong admitted. “It was obvious it was a scam, but I didn’t want to argue and risk a bad relationship.”
Inside the Scam: From Orphanages to the Internet
- First contact (Dec 16 last year) – a foreign WhatsApp number. No explanation of how Ms Sophia got it.
- Lin Cheng claimed he was born in Singapore, moved to China at four, and ran a 40‑kid orphanage in Chongqing.
- Ms Sophia, impressed, shared her investment know‑how. He pitched a “smart trade” via a middleman, Lin Yaolao.
- Payments: $5,000 on Jan 14, $13,000 on Jan 15, $150,000 in March, and finally $400,000 after he claimed to need funds for the orphanage.
Blue‑Blooded Medicine Hallucination
Late April, Lin told Ms Sophia he was facing a financial crisis. “I thought he was a friend in trouble; I gave him the money.” Then, on May 24, he sent a picture of a man in hospital pajamas with a doctor. Three days later, a WeChat post from Lin’s supposed uncle claimed the nephew had died.
Ong’s Google‑Powered Proof
- She spotted an obvious stock photo: a hospital‑bed patient, poor angles, duplicated across the web.
- She googled “hospital man lying” and found the exact image within 10 minutes.
- Ong shared the screenshot with her mum. Ms Sophia cried; she called hospitals and mortuaries in Beijing – none had such a patient.
Trauma, Depression, and a Future Warning
Ms Sophia admitted she contemplated suicide after being duped. She’s feeling better now and urges Singaporeans to be wary when foreign scams come their way.
“The chances of getting your money back when a scam involves a foreigner are low,” she says.
Ong’s Take: Trust, Family, and the Need for Alerts
She feels her mum was too trusting, but says she has no choice but to wait. “If any stranger messages her, she must let me know. I hope she will listen next time.”
Reminder to All Readers
Never let emotions override caution. If an opportunity looks too good, it probably is. Trust the science: double‑check contact details, verify third parties, and always have an extra set of eyes—preferably a sister like Ms Ong.
