Mother loses $12,000 over beauty contest that never happened

A 61-year-old retiree has filed a police report after spending $12,000 in hopes of securing her daughter a spot in a beauty pageant - only for the event to be indefinitely postponed, and the people who roped her in to go missing.

According to Shin Min Daily News, Madam Gu said the ordeal began in February 2020 when she and her daughter visited a friend's home during the Lunar New Year period.

There, she met the host's daughter, who strongly encouraged Madam Gu to enter her daughter in a beauty pageant supposedly co-organised by local charity Sian Chay Medical Institution, which would even be attended by a government minister.

"She showed me photos she took with Mr Toh Soon Huat, the charity's chairman, and shared details of her involvement in previous fundraising activities," Madam Gu recounted.

Madam Gu said she was told that for a registration fee of $2,000, and an additional $50,000, her daughter would be guaranteed a spot among the pageant winners.

The woman, who was also friends with her daughter, added that after the competition, her daughter would receive advertising offers and earn back the investment.

Convinced that the event would help raise funds for her daughter's education, Madam Gu made two payments via WeChat: $2,000 initially, followed by another $10,000 a month later.

Delayed by the pandemic

However, the pandemic caused repeated delays, stretching the promised pageant over the next three years.

During this period, Madam Gu said, the woman kept pestering her for more money, while promising to provide catwalk and makeup training for her daughter.

While Madam Gu did not give her any more money, she continued to trust the woman.

In December 2022, mother and daughter flew from Australia to Singapore to prepare for the long-awaited event - only to be left waiting for weeks.

The woman said she was too busy to assist them and eventually published a newspaper notice saying the pageant was postponed.

Shortly after, Madam Gu's friend and her daughter severed all contact and even deleted and blocked Madam Gu. The pair later moved without leaving a forwarding address.

By February 2023, Madam Gu had given up and filed a police report. "After this incident, I've learned my lesson - I'll never pay to secure a win in any competition again."

Authorities confirmed that a police report has been filed and investigations are ongoing.

Pageant was a scam, says charity chairman

In response to queries, Sian Chay Medical Institution chairman Toh Soon Huat said that no such beauty pageant was ever planned by the organisation.

The woman previously made a donation to the charity and took a photo with Mr Toh when he appeared at a beauty salon event that she hosted. However, he clarified that they do not have a close relationship.

He emphasised that any events co-organised by Sian Chay are planned with proper contracts and official approval. "We never signed any agreement with this individual, and the so-called beauty pageant is entirely fictitious."

Mr. Toh warned that anyone misusing the charity's name for fraudulent purposes will be held legally responsible. However, due to a lack of evidence in this case, no legal action could be taken.

"We urge the public to verify with event organisers or partners directly before participating in such activities. If anything appears suspicious, report it to the authorities immediately," he advised.

Friend's daughter disappears without a trace

Madam Gu said she had tried searching online for updates about the pageant over the past four years, but did not find anything. She even visited the woman's beauty salon, only to find it shut down, with nearby shop owners unaware of its closure.

When she attempted to locate her friend, she discovered that she and her daughter had been evicted due to nearly nine months of unpaid rent.

While she did consider going to the Small Claims Tribunal, she lamented: "At this point, I just hope to recover some of the money I lost."