'Refund guru' seeks redress for buyers

[Jman888]

Good idea 

 

wonder how he charge his customer?

'Refund guru' seeks redress for buyers

Melissa Lin

The Straits Time Sunday, Jul 3, 2016

 

 

Profile of Mr Joel Kong (only side view allowed), 31, a former legal executive who set up a business last year that helps aggrieved consumers get their money back from errant businesses who may have misrepresented their products or used hard-selling tactics.

 

Photo: The Straits Times

 

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.

 

"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.

 

 

 

 

[Little_prince]

his charges are 10% of the recovered amount lor.

 

 

 

Good idea 

 

wonder how he charge his customer?

 

 

 

[Vratenza]

 

 

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.

 

 

Good idea 

 

wonder how he charge his customer?

 

 

 

[Jman888]

his charges are 10% of the recovered amount lor.

 

pai tan    

[Little_prince]

无本生意 wor.

 

 

pai tan    

 

[Vratenza]

Since he is not a lawyer, how can he send letters of demand?

 

There seem to be some loophole or fine line between legal/illegal he is threading.

 

 

As what CASE spokesperson insinuated, there could be repercussions if he's methods are counter sued by the companies he demands from...

[Jman888]

Since he is not a lawyer, how can he send letters of demand?

 

There seem to be some loophole or fine line between legal/illegal he is threading.

 

 

As what CASE spokesperson insinuated, there could be repercussions if he's methods are counter sued by the companies he demands from...

 

 

agree, those companies can ignore him actually. But i guess some just want to avoid the negativity in social media.

[Watwheels]

pai tan    

 

Long time ago my father engage such service before. Yes, long time ago already got such service, bad debt collection. Becoz customer refuse to pay up after service rendered. I think he mentioned the guy was a gang member not like this former legal counsel. Last time also do not have social media. Needless to say his tactic is more gangster. He would trash the fellow's workplace, harassment, shoo away customers etc until the fellow who owes us money give up. He takes 50% cut. You can't say no or bargain. He gangster, we are not.

 

This guy 10% is actually a good bargain.

 

I think banks also engage such service. They are legal loan sharks so not getting back their money on time is no surprise.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Watwheels

[Jman888]

Long time ago my father engage such service before. Yes, long time ago already got such service, bad debt collection. Becoz customer refuse to pay up after service rendered. I think he mentioned the guy was a gang member not like this former legal counsel. Last time also do not have social media. Needless to say his tactic is more gangster. He would trash the fellow's workplace, harassment, shoo away customers etc until the fellow who owes us money give up. He takes 50% cut. You can't say no or bargain. He gangster, we are not.

 

This guy 10% is actually a good bargain.

 

I think banks also engage such service. They are legal loan sharks so not getting back their money is no surprise.

 

 

those are debt collectors which provide service for the business owner, this one represent the consumer.

 

maybe those kena con at sim lim square can look for him to handle people like jover 

[1fast1]

Haha, final proof that CASE is a toothless tiger. Better to ownself help ownself.
 

If the police are seen as useless, vigilantism is the natural response.

[Vratenza]

Not vigilantism.... mercenarism

 

This guy don't do it for free yo...

 

Haha, final proof that CASE is a toothless tiger. Better to ownself help ownself.
 

If the police are seen as useless, vigilantism is the natural response.

 

[LoverofCar]

This company is tracking a fine line.  In cases where the claim is in a grey area and they make a wrong judgement.  Shaming others company could land them in court case .

[Mcf777]

This Joel kong damn xiasuay

 

Use his wife name (arissa hee) as victim.

 

Pi cha lobang

[Vratenza]

They are married?!

 

got link to the sexpose?

 

This Joel kong damn xiasuay

Use his wife name (arissa hee) as victim.

Pi cha lobang

 

[Mcf777]

They are married?!

 

got link to the sexpose?

I saw it at ASS this morning.

[Vratenza]

Thanks for the headsup!

 

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. http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/article/straits-times-features-company-based-womans-feedback-when-she-actually-boss-wife

 

 

 

I saw it at ASS this morning.

 

[Pinobii]

ST never check before publishing huh

[Porker]

This Joel kong damn xiasuay

 

Use his wife name (arissa hee) as victim.

 

Pi cha lobang

What's wrong with using his wife's case as an ad? He could have been inspired to do this because of that