Online beauty product fraud

The Star reported that at least 66 people were cheated almost RM73,445 when they performed online purchases of skincare products such as facial and eye masks with "BigPussyCat" website.

These people were tempted by the cheaper prices of the products offered as compared to the market rate or over the shelves.

Read the full news below - Source: The Star, 9 June 2009.

Tuesday June 9, 2009

Online beauty products deal turns ugly for 66

KUALA LUMPUR: At least 66 people paid the price for their ignorance when they were cheated of their money after making Internet purchases of skincare products from someone named “Big Pussycat.”

The victims made online transfers amounting to RM73,445.10 for the products which came under names such as “My Beauty” and “My Sherman Beauty” that had been advertised on “Big Pussycat’s.” website

These products included facial and eye masks.

Salesman Chong Wei Lun, 29, made purchases totalling RM2,910 for his girlfriend on May 4 but the products never arrived.

“The price of the items was cheaper than those off the shelf,” he said as he explained why he was lured by the advertisement.

Chong was one of the 11 dissatisfied customers who turned to MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong to voice their grievance.

At a press conference yesterday, another victim Winnie Tan, 20, said she discovered that she had been ripped off only after her friends told her to do a more thorough check on the advertisement.

She saw website postings warning people that the sale of the skincare line was not genuine.

Michael Chong advised the public, especially young people, to be more cautious when buying goods featured on the Internet, adding that he would submit all the complaints to the police.