Acute Sense Developed

To prevent conned by con-men or con-women

Written by Mrs Money




Case Study 2



My friend sold her long established out-of-town business to a new buyer, the Sly couple:

One day she received a SMS from her buyer, Mdm.Sly, “I just paid the SESCO deposit of RM6000, electric got cut off yesterday. I was told that you have asked them to cut it off. SESCO is going to deduct your deposit because you want to collect your deposit from Kch instead of from in-town SESCO office here.”

So how reliable is this Mdm. Sly’s SMS?

The truths are as followed:

As requested by Sly couple, my friend kindly gave sometimes for the Sly couple to register their new SESCO account upon their newly acquired business before terminating her old registered SESCO account, since the Sly couple verbally agreed would refund any icurred outstanding bills to my friend if during future termination.

In between, my friends at least SMS five to six times to both Sly couple to expedite their own new SESCO account, my friend would always get the answer, “OK, OK!”

After three months, my friend sent a legal document to SESCO regarding the termination and requesting deposit refund for her account, and the Sly couple both received my friend's CC emails and telephone verbal notification regarding the SESCO termination. My friend even kindly reminded the out-of-town SESCO officer to remind the buyer regarding the electricity termination before taking action.

On a particular day, my friend received an out-of-town call from a SESCO officer regarding the termination, my friend even asked her, “Have you notice the new owner regarding the termination?”
“Yes, twice we have informed them.”

Soon, my friend received phone call from a SESCO officer regarding the deduction of her deposit, “Your two accounts due to the most recent monthly bills are not settled yet (by the new owner), the outstanding will be deducted to your deposit. Do you agree that?”

My friend agreed it, as she calculated that she would just lost few hundred ringgit for her SESCO deposit, but if she didn’t terminate her account as soon as possible, one day she might not even get a single cent back.

So can you believe it right after the SESCO terminated my friend’s account, the new buyer could SMS her in this way:

"I just paid the SESCO deposit of RM6000, electric got cut off yesterday. I was told that you have asked them to cut it off. SESCO is going to deduct your deposit because you want to collect your deposit from Kch instead of from in-town SESCO office here”

My friend sighed that these days it’s so difficult to act as a kind and helpful person, besides settling that a hundred over ringgit under buyer’s most recent outstanding bills during SESCO termination, the buyer could still SMS to blame my friend, my friend instantly becomes a notorious, heartless and thoughtless person instead!

My friend even double-confirmed from Kuching SESCO officers, she was told, "During Termination, SESCO doesn't charge out-of-town service fees for any SESCO deposit refund."

Advice:

If you register a new sole-proprietorship company, it is wiser for you to register your SESCO account under your own name instead of your new business name. Once you close down your business, imagine the hassle if you receive your SESCO deposit later bearing your business name but you have already closed down your business account! OR if once you sell off your old business to a buyer, SESCO will refund your deposit cheque according to your registered name. Legal documents will be required if you want SESCO deposit money registered under your company name to be refunded under your personal name. But if you already registered SESCO account under your company name, during sales you must through legal concern to collect your SESCO deposit from new buyer directly and you don’t need to hassle wasting your time dashing in and out of SESCO office.