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4) Buyer Beware & Consumer Watch
#1 Beware of salespersons impersonating HDB officials Someone turns up at your door and tells you, you need to change your gate / clothes hangers under HDB requirements. And they can do it for you – on the spot! But are they who they say they are or are they… …imposters? Here are some warning signs: · They are not able to produce any valid identification proving they are HDB officials. · They are not able to produce any documentation detailing the “new HDB regulations” that demand that you change your gate / clothes hangers. · They do not tell you that a three-day cooling off period applies to all door-to-door sales. If in doubt, you can also call HDB Branch Office Service Line (1800-2255432) to check. #2 Beware of shops charging GST when they are not GST-registered
With the impending GST hike and concerns on GST profiteering, some of you may be asking: “How do I know if a shop has the right to charge me GST?”
All businesses that collect GST will have a GST registration number. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has an online GST Registered Business Search. If you have doubts whether you should be paying GST to a business, click here to check
To find out more about GST, click here
2) Consumer Updates
CASE releases hair dyes test results
A CASE test of hair dye samples found that the hair dyes on sale in Singapore are safe to use. The test follows reports of overseas studies that linked hair dyes to cancer in 2001 and 2005. 23 commercially available hair dye products, including products from well-known brands Wella, Garnier, L’oreal, Hoyu and Gatsby, were tested by CASE and concluded in 2007. To find out more, read our press release
HSA stops sale of 3 toothpastes
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has stopped the sales of 3 toothpastes after they were found to contain undeclared diethylene glycol (DEG). The toothpastes are:
Consumers are advised to stop using the above toothpaste. You can also contact HSA's Cosmetic Control Unit at 6866 3470 during office hours. See HSA's press release here
Milk prices up
CASE has conducted a price survey of milk products sold in four supermarket chains. Here are our main findings:
To find out more, read our press release or access our survey results
3) Tales from CASE A consumer had been using a set of kitchenware from a direct sales company for several years, but then received a phone call from a lady, asking for permission to send personnel to her flat to check the kitchenware. She agreed, thinking that she was calling from the company. The “technician” that came to her flat told her that the kitchenware was defective, and not safe for cooking food. She was “persuaded” to purchase a new set of kitchenware (and paid S$1,000 as deposit), which she later found out, was from another direct sales company instead. She approached CASE for assistance and advice. CASE wrote in on behalf of the consumer to the 2nd direct sales company, citing that it had violated the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, by making misleading/false claims, and by not informing her of the 3-day cooling-off period. The vendor eventually made a partial refund of S$800 to the consumer. Consumer Tips! 1) A 3-day cooling-off period is accorded to unsolicited door-to-door sales. This is provided by law under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, and is applicable to timeshare contracts also. The 3-day calculation excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays. A transaction is also unsolicited if the product or service sold was different from what was requested by the consumer. 2) Verify claims made. If persons purport to be from a government agency, call the agency in question to verify. 3) Be wary of allowing persons to enter premises. Common excuses include a. We are just doing a “no-obligations” cooking demonstration b. I’m very thirsty after speaking to you. Can you give me a glass of water? c. We want to service the kitchenware to check on its condition 4) Inform the elderly. Elderly folk should be careful, as many cases involve them being misled. 5) Know your options. In contrast to timeshare contracts, door-to-door sales contracts are within the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Tribunals, so that is another option besides CASE.
& Consumer Watch Missed the previous Buyer Beware? Here's a recap: The world of contractors (15 June) The world of pets (8 June) Be sure to look out for Buyer Beware, every Friday in The Straits Times.
5) Say It - to us!
Had a bad experience with a retailer that you want to warn others about? Perhaps you’ve come across an email or advertisement that smacks of a scam, or would like to share some consumer tips with our readers. The Consumer magazine would like to hear from you if you have any consumer-related stories to share. Email us at sayit@case.org.sg, with the subject title as “Say It @ Case”, and include your name. Please state if you want your name to be only partially printed. We will be selecting a few entries to be published in our upcoming issues without the names of the companies or any brands. Selected entries may be edited for clarity. Say It @ Case will be a regular feature in The Consumer, so look out for it in the upcoming issues.
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