'Recycled' Maid Wreak Havoc
KELANA JAYA: Foreign Maid Scam
MY Indonesian maid went missing after just two weeks, so did the agent, leaving my household in a total mess.
I pursued the matter and discovered that the whole thing was staged to ‘rob’ me of RM8,000 in fees for the maid.
Now, I cannot trace the agent and am resigned to not getting my money back. I am afraid to deal with another agent although I am in desperate need of a maid.
My problems began early January when a friend introduced me to a foreign labour agent and I immediately engaged him to get me a maid.
I paid RM4,000 in advance and the balance was to be paid as soon as the maid started work. In mid-February, the agent brought a young Indonesian lady to my home, much to the disappointment of my wife when she learnt the maid had no experience looking after children.
In fact, she had no experience doing any household chores and my three children were always left to fend for themselves. I complained to the agent and he came one morning and took her away, saying she had accused my wife of ill-treating her.
He said the maid needed ‘counselling’ and that a replacement would be made available in a week.
The replacement maid never arrived and that was the last I saw the agent against whom I made a police report
later.
I had no choice but to get another maid, but this time I went to a recognised foreign labour recruitment agency.
That was when I learned about certain agencies that provide maids who run away after working for short periods.
These maids cook up stories that they have been abused and ill-treated and these tales are then used by the agent to take the maid away with the promise of a replacement.
The runaway maid would be sent to another family, only to repeat the cycle. In many cases the rogue agents only reimbursed a partial sum to the affected families.
The National Consumer Complaints Centre confirmed the ‘recycling’ tactics when I lodged a report there as well.
I was told the centre received close to 1,400 complaints last year, compared with the 750 complaints in 2009.
This is a problem that is getting out of hand and I believe there could be more cases.
I would like to advise those in need of maids to be wary of falling into this trap.
Ramli MB.
Source: Malay Mail - Thursday, April 14, 2011
'Troublemaker' Maids In Cahoots With Agencies
PUTRAJAYA: Several foreign maid agencies are believed to have scammed their customers out of RM8.1 million last year by giving them "troublemaker" maids, who ran away after working for just a few months. National Consumer Complaints Centre senior manager M. Matheevani said these agencies practised a "recycling" tactic by ensuring that maids, who were hired out after potential employers placed a deposit of between RM8,000 and RM10,000, created problems before running back to the agency.
These hapless employers would be forced to fork out more money to get another maid, as their deposits could not be refunded.
Even in cases where clients were reimbursed, they would only get a partial sum.
Meanwhile, the runaway maid would be sent to another family, only to repeat the cycle.
"We received many complaints from employers who claimed they were cheated by the agencies and lost thousands of ringgit just to hire a maid.
"It is a serious problem and these are only cases which are reported. There could be more," she told the New Straits Times.
Last year, the centre received 1,363 complaints, almost double of the 746 complaints in 2009.
Matheevani said there were also cases where the maids could not do any housework, although the employers were promised qualified and experienced workers.
There were also instances when documents, such as permits and health checks, were incomplete despite employers having paid a hefty price for the maids.
"We had one complainant, who paid RM10,000 for a maid who did not have a permit and had not undergone a health check."
She said if there were others who had faced similar problems, they should lodge a complaint with the with the centre to prevent future employers from falling into the trap.
Source: New Straits Times - April 11, 2011
*** Both are real incidences that happened last year.
Maid Flee Employer's Home With Valuables Worth RM450,000
Submitted by Najiah
KOTA BARU: A man incurred almost half a million ringgit in losses when his Indonesian maid absconded with valuables and collectibles from his house four days ago.
Kelantan deputy police chief SAC Mazlan Lazim said based on reports, the suspect, a 34-year-old Indonesian woman known as Neglis, escaped when her employer was not at home.
"According to reports, the victim, Foo Kiat Chai realised his maid was missing when he returned home at 6pm on Jan 28.
"The employer went into the maid's room and suspected something amiss when he noticed it was empty and the woman's clothes and belongings were gone," he told reporters here today.
He said Foo was shocked to find valuables, collectibles and heirlooms stored in a room, worth an estimated RM450,000, missing.
"Police have launched a manhunt for the suspect who hails from Bandung and holds a passport (AP 168246). We urge anyone with information to contact us to facilitate investigations," he added.
Source: Malay Mail - Wednesday, Februaury 2, 2011
(to be continued)
KELANA JAYA: Foreign Maid Scam
MY Indonesian maid went missing after just two weeks, so did the agent, leaving my household in a total mess.
I pursued the matter and discovered that the whole thing was staged to ‘rob’ me of RM8,000 in fees for the maid.
Now, I cannot trace the agent and am resigned to not getting my money back. I am afraid to deal with another agent although I am in desperate need of a maid.
My problems began early January when a friend introduced me to a foreign labour agent and I immediately engaged him to get me a maid.
I paid RM4,000 in advance and the balance was to be paid as soon as the maid started work. In mid-February, the agent brought a young Indonesian lady to my home, much to the disappointment of my wife when she learnt the maid had no experience looking after children.
In fact, she had no experience doing any household chores and my three children were always left to fend for themselves. I complained to the agent and he came one morning and took her away, saying she had accused my wife of ill-treating her.
He said the maid needed ‘counselling’ and that a replacement would be made available in a week.
The replacement maid never arrived and that was the last I saw the agent against whom I made a police report
later.
I had no choice but to get another maid, but this time I went to a recognised foreign labour recruitment agency.
That was when I learned about certain agencies that provide maids who run away after working for short periods.
These maids cook up stories that they have been abused and ill-treated and these tales are then used by the agent to take the maid away with the promise of a replacement.
The runaway maid would be sent to another family, only to repeat the cycle. In many cases the rogue agents only reimbursed a partial sum to the affected families.
The National Consumer Complaints Centre confirmed the ‘recycling’ tactics when I lodged a report there as well.
I was told the centre received close to 1,400 complaints last year, compared with the 750 complaints in 2009.
This is a problem that is getting out of hand and I believe there could be more cases.
I would like to advise those in need of maids to be wary of falling into this trap.
Ramli MB.
Source: Malay Mail - Thursday, April 14, 2011
*****
'Troublemaker' Maids In Cahoots With Agencies
These hapless employers would be forced to fork out more money to get another maid, as their deposits could not be refunded.
Even in cases where clients were reimbursed, they would only get a partial sum.
Meanwhile, the runaway maid would be sent to another family, only to repeat the cycle.
"We received many complaints from employers who claimed they were cheated by the agencies and lost thousands of ringgit just to hire a maid.
"It is a serious problem and these are only cases which are reported. There could be more," she told the New Straits Times.
Last year, the centre received 1,363 complaints, almost double of the 746 complaints in 2009.
Matheevani said there were also cases where the maids could not do any housework, although the employers were promised qualified and experienced workers.
There were also instances when documents, such as permits and health checks, were incomplete despite employers having paid a hefty price for the maids.
"We had one complainant, who paid RM10,000 for a maid who did not have a permit and had not undergone a health check."
She said if there were others who had faced similar problems, they should lodge a complaint with the with the centre to prevent future employers from falling into the trap.
Source: New Straits Times - April 11, 2011
******
Indah* had been working for Kay's* family in KL for slighty more than a year.
Although Indah did not honour her two-year contract, Kay allowed her to return to Indonesia on humanitarian basis.
Indah was returned to the maid agency.
All together, Kay handed the agency RM6,000 together with Indah's salary and air ticket.
Three weeks later, Kay received an SMS from Indah.
She was still in Malaysia.
The maid agency said Indah had to finish her two-year contract.
So, she was sent to work for an unsuspecting family for a period of six months.
Kay demanded the maid be returned to her immediately, but the agency claimed Indah's new employer refused to release her.
Kay then demanded the agency to return all monies (Indah's salary and air ticket) that she had paid to the agency, as she wanted to personally send Indah back to Indonesia.
Kay was later informed that the salary had been banked into a maid representative account.
Indah will receive her salary due to her, upon her arrival in Indonesia.
When Kay demanded to see the air ticket that the agency supposed to buy for Indah three weeks ago, it was only that very day the ticket had only been purchased...
******
After paying RM8,500, an Indonesian maid was sent to Shah*'s family the next day.
But a month later, she ran away.
The request for a replacement was ignored even after two months.
*** Both are real incidences that happened last year.
******
Maid Flee Employer's Home With Valuables Worth RM450,000
Submitted by Najiah
Kelantan deputy police chief SAC Mazlan Lazim said based on reports, the suspect, a 34-year-old Indonesian woman known as Neglis, escaped when her employer was not at home.
"According to reports, the victim, Foo Kiat Chai realised his maid was missing when he returned home at 6pm on Jan 28.
"The employer went into the maid's room and suspected something amiss when he noticed it was empty and the woman's clothes and belongings were gone," he told reporters here today.
He said Foo was shocked to find valuables, collectibles and heirlooms stored in a room, worth an estimated RM450,000, missing.
"Police have launched a manhunt for the suspect who hails from Bandung and holds a passport (AP 168246). We urge anyone with information to contact us to facilitate investigations," he added.
Source: Malay Mail - Wednesday, Februaury 2, 2011
(to be continued)
2 comments:
Hi Ummie, Holy Smoke! That many cases of these unscrupulous agents and maids pulling scams?
Gosh! Pity the people who lost money etc.
And that rich fellow, makes me wonder why he kept those money and whatever in his house? Why not in a bank?
I guess apart from hearing abuses against maids, the maids pulling one of their own games too.
I was very fortunate the maids, matured women I employed old days were really good ones...
Anyway...I would always discreetly test them by leaving a Rgt 10 or even a Rgt 50 in my room or purposely on the floor before I go out of town.
Also to see whether my room is cleaned.
And hiding my other car's keys....incase she absconds with my car.
On my return next day, the money would be on my table. Oh ya, I never went thru agents those days...
I found my own.
How you doin'? You keep well, best regards.
Lee.
Yes, Mr Lee.
There are many around Me who are under many money-face maid agencies own fine line rules.
Living away from extended family, having maids are their last resort.
Pity them.
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