Latest news with #asiaone.com
AsiaOne
5 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Love scam: Man transfers $120k to online 'China girlfriend' of 2 years after sale of Ang Mo Kio flat, Singapore News
Convinced by his online 'girlfriend' to live out his retirement years in China with her, a man reportedly gave up his HDB flat and transferred over $120,000 to her. With just a few thousand left in his bank account and nowhere to go, he sought help from a friend, who told him he had fallen for a love scam. Chen (not his real name), 59, told Shin Min Daily News that he met his 'lover' on Facebook in 2023. The woman claimed to be divorced and in her 30s, and said she is from Hangzhou. An internet romance bloomed between the pair, who started calling each other "wife" and "husband". A few months after they started dating, Chen's 'girlfriend' said she was experiencing financial difficulties and asked if he could lend her money. "It started with a few thousand dollars," he recalled. "She said she needed it for living expenses, and as a couple, helping each other is normal." He added that the woman would sometimes cry when telling him about her life hardships. Suggested he sell his flat Over time, Chen had sent her $30,000 to $40,000 of his savings. Then, the woman suggested he sell his Ang Mo Kio flat and move to China to live with her. According to Shin Min, Chen returned his three-room flat under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) scheme and received compensation of about $123,000. He wired this sum to his 'girlfriend' across several bank transfers within the span of a year, even as bank staff reportedly tried to intervene. Chen told the Chinese publication that the bank had called to warn he could be a victim of fraud, but he had insisted he was making transfers to a friend. He said his transfer limit was reduced to $200 a day, so he would withdraw cash at the bank and transfer the money at an ATM. "I was so obstinate then. Thinking back now, it was childish," he said. The scam started to become obvious when Chen's 'girlfriend' cut off contact with him this April, claiming that her grandmother had died and she must observe a six-month mourning period. She had also deleted some of their chat records. Chen's friend, whom he had sought help from, persuaded him that it was a love scam, showing him reports of similar cases. The man said he finally lodged a police report on July 21 and decided to share his story to raise awareness. The police confirmed to Shin Min they had received a report and are investigating. Chen also said he will search for a new job to support himself and rent a flat, to avoid troubling his friend for a long time. "The money is already gone, and I can't change what happened, there's no point in regretting. I caused this; I was blinded by love," he expressed. "I can still work now, so I'll work hard to earn the money back and recover." [[nid:681697]]
AsiaOne
a day ago
- AsiaOne
Daily roundup: Police arrest 31 people, probing another 13 for bulk buying SIM cards for syndicate — and other top stories today, World News
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today. 1. Police arrest 31 people, probing another 13 for bulk buying SIM cards for syndicate Twenty-one men and 10 women, aged between 16 and 48, were arrested for allegedly providing fraudulently registered postpaid SIM cards for money, said the police on Monday (July 28). Another nine men and four women, aged between 16 and 57, are assisting with investigations, following an island-wide enforcement operation conducted from July 17 to 25... » READ MORE 2. Bangkok shooting: Gunman opens fire at popular market in Chatuchak, killing at least 6 At least six people are dead following a shooting at a farmer's market in Bangkok on Monday (July 28), Thai police reportedly said. The incident occurred at Or Tor Kor Market, located just opposite the popular Chatuchak Weekend Market... » READ MORE 3. Second-generation owner of kueh tutu store Tan's Tu Tu Coconut Cake dies aged 63 Tan Bee Hua, owner of popular kueh tutu store Tan's Tu Tu Coconut Cake, has died aged 63. The stall, located at Havelock Food Centre, took to social media on Tuesday (July 29) to announce the news... » READ MORE 4. 'I felt immense sadness seeing him': Netizens say DJ Koo sits by late wife Barbie Hsu's grave nearly every day Time may heal all wounds, but it appears that five months is not nearly enough for Korean singer-songwriter DJ Koo. The husband of the late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, who died at 48 from pneumonia caused by complications from the flu in February, was spotted by a netizen recently sitting by her gravesite... » READ MORE editor@
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Uniqlo launching T-shirt collection in collab with Pokemon Trading Card Game, Lifestyle News
Pokemon fans will soon have another item to collect other than trading cards. On Aug 11, Uniqlo will be launching its first-ever UT (Uniqlo t-shirts) Collection in collaboration with the popular Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) and the Pokemon TCG Pocket App, the brand announced in a press release today (July 29). For those who aren't familiar, the Pokemon TCG Pocket App allows fans to collect Pokemon cards digitally. Inspired by the card game's original illustrations, designs in the new UT Collection will feature popular Pokemon characters like Pikachu, Lapras and Mewtwo. The T-shirts for men ($19.90) come in five designs ranging from sizes XS to XL, while four designs ($14.90) are available for kids ranging from 100cm to 160cm in height. Additionally, to celebrate the release of the collection, fans will be able to catch Pikachu mascots at Uniqlo's Orchard Central flagship outlet and its Jewel Changi Airport store on the day of the launch (Aug 11). Simply purchase two T-shirts from the collection at either one of the stores and you'll be able to snap a photo with the mascots across five 30-minute timeslots, between 12pm and 6.30pm. As a bonus, sharing the photo on Instagram and tagging Uniqlo's account will also give you a chance to win a Pokemon Trading Card Game Deluxe Battle Deck. Submissions will be valid until Aug 17, and three winners will be announced on Aug 18. The Uniqlo and Pokemon TCG UT Collection will be available online and at all Uniqlo stores islandwide. [[nid:718421]]
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
'I felt immense sadness seeing him': Netizens say DJ Koo sits by late wife Barbie Hsu's grave nearly every day, Entertainment News
Time may heal all wounds, but it appears that five months is not nearly enough for Korean singer-songwriter DJ Koo. The husband of the late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, who died at 48 from pneumonia caused by complications from the flu in February, was spotted by a netizen recently sitting by her gravesite. Threads user Beef_0201 wrote yesterday (July 27) that he had driven a group of fans to the Chin Pao San cemetery, where Barbie was laid to rest, to leave flowers for her. "I was thinking that I might not be able to find [the grave], so I was ready to look for it one by one," he continued. "Then I turned a corner and saw a man sitting in the middle of the cemetery! I immediately thought, could it be DJ Koo?" A photo accompanying the post shows the 55-year-old, also known as Koo Jun-yup, sitting on a folding chair between rows of graves. "He politely said thank you to us," Beef_0201 added. "To be honest, I felt immense sadness when I saw him! "It is hard for me to imagine the pain when the love of your life suddenly dies! "He is really the most passionate man I have ever seen... I hope he can get over the pain." A netizen responded to the post, claiming: "My daughter works at that cemetery and says he really goes down to visit Barbie every day." "My dad's grave is right next to hers," another responded. "I'm not exaggerating when I say that every time I went to pay respects to my dad, I saw DJ Koo sitting there (it even rained heavily a few times)." They added that DJ Koo mostly reads books by Barbie's grave and occasionally checks his phone. Fans were heartbroken in the comments. "I'm really going to cry," wrote one. While some were in awe of his dedication to his late wife, others thought he looked ill and appeared to have lost weight. "He seems to not be doing well emotionally," wrote a netizen. "I hope he can seek professional help and recover slowly." [[nid:720268]] drimac@ No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Parents scatter joss paper outside door after daughter, 21, refuses to leave boyfriend's Toa Payoh flat, Singapore News
When their daughter did not return home as agreed, the upset parents visited the boyfriend's home in Toa Payoh to pick her up but got into a physical conflict with him. They returned to the flat the following afternoon and scattered joss paper in front of the unit in hopes the boyfriend would open the front door, reported Shin Min Daily News. The incident, which occurred last Tuesday (July 22) at 51 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, saw the police being called in to mediate the situation. The girl's father surnamed Yang, 54, told the Chinese publication his daughter was unable to leave her boyfriend's residence, and that the police had been called to stop him from fetching her. When a Shin Min reporter arrived, Yang and his wife as well as five or six police officers were standing in front of the flat, which had its door shut. The father said in an interview that he and his wife are at a loss as their daughter was unwilling to come home. Yang elaborated that his daughter had been seeing her boyfriend for several years, but he disapproved of her partner due to multiple reasons related to his health and employment. He said that this strained their relationship with their daughter, and she began spending more time at her boyfriend's house. According to Shin Min, a red packet with joss paper inside was seen in front of the boyfriend's flat, and sheets of joss paper was scattered along the corridor. Yang reportedly admitted that he had done so in a fit of anger. There were also two cans of beer, and an empty can next to the red packet. With mediation from the police, the daughter agreed to return home at 8pm that night, and the parents left. 'I feel oppressed' Speaking to Shin Min at her boyfriend's place on Wednesday, Yang's daughter, 21, said she returned home on Tuesday night. Asked why she had come back to her boyfriend's flat, the woman said the environment at home was not good, and that she was under great stress. "I understand that they care for me, but I feel oppressed and need a bit of breathing space," she said. The woman added that she hopes for her family's understanding and will try to return home more often. Her boyfriend, 27, also highlighted to Shin Min that he respects his girlfriend's father and has been trying to gain his approval. He hopes he would not break the couple up. [[nid:718789]]
