Geylang restaurant prepares S$288 order only to find out customer sent fake payment screenshot

A Vietnamese restaurant in Geylang came under suspicion after a customer placed an order worth S$288.85 and then sent a fabricated screenshot of a successful payment, according to the owner. The incident, reported on August 13, prompted the owner to share the story on Facebook in hopes of alerting other business owners to potential scams.

The customer, who called the restaurant An La Ghien around 5:42pm on August 12, ordered a variety of dishes including fresh oysters, fried tofu, spring rolls, a Vietnamese pancake, grilled pork cutlet, and fried chicken wings. Upon receiving a QR code via WhatsApp to complete the payment, the customer forwarded a screenshot of the successful transaction from his DBS iBanking app to the staff.

Assuming the payment had gone through, the restaurant staff prepared the order and arranged for its delivery via Lalamove. However, the Lalamove driver was unable to collect the food order, as the person at the provided address refused it, stating they had not ordered any food from the restaurant. The customer remained adamant about the correct address, leading the restaurant staff and driver to suspect foul play and return the food to the restaurant.

When the owner informed the customer about the failed delivery, he claimed that his friend had eaten the food, fallen ill, and was awaiting an ambulance. Despite the "successful payment receipt," the restaurant's bank account showed no credit for the S$288.85. The owner, feeling the story made no sense, asked for a photo of the now-consumed food, but the customer denied having it.

Threatened with police involvement, the customer made a sexist remark before the owner filed a police report the next day. The police have confirmed that a report was lodged, and investigations are ongoing. The owner, warning other business owners, advised them to verify payments through bank accounts, not just payment screenshots.