As digital payment methods continue to catch on in Singapore, cases of accidental overpayments will also happen more often.
That’s why it’s good that local food stall operators are generally honest
The latest case involved a customer transferring S$400 instead of S$4 to a noodle stall with three branches in Singapore, including Whampoa.
They are now looking for the person so they can give them a refund.
In a Facebook post on Friday (12 May), Ah Gong Teochew Noodle said a customer patronised one of their three branches on that day.
That patron, whom they identified as someone named “Ong XXX XXX, Mande” transferred a total of S$400 to them by PayNow
This happened between 12 and 2.30pm, and is assumed to be a mistake, the stall said, presuming the intended amount was S$4.
As “money (is) hard to earn”, Ah Gong Teochew Noodle is thus searching for the customer so they can refund them S$396.
That person is invited to contact them at 81168188 or support@lynx.asia.
They should send proceed to their nearest stall with verification documents so they can receive the refund via cash or PayNow.
If nobody steps forward to claim the refund by 31 Dec, the S$396 will be given to the needy, the stall said.
Speaking to 8world News, Ah Gong Teochew Noodle owner Fang Weilong (transliterated from Mandarin) that his stall has three outlets.
They’re located in Whampoa, Golden Mile Food Centre in Beach Road and Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre in Sembawang.
As all three of them use the same QR code, it’s not possible to find out which stall the customer patronised.
Mr Fang said a bowl of noodles at his stall costs S$4 on average, so he believed the S$400 transferred on 12 May was accidental.
He wants to return the cash as it’s a matter of integrity, and he wants people to feel at ease using e-payment.
This is especially for the elderly who may have poor eyesight, he added.
While keeping them up to date with digitalisation, we should also make them feel at comfortable with it and remind them to be careful while making e-payments, he maintained.
On Sunday (14 May), Ah Gong Teochew Noodle posted on Facebook that they’d received a “potential lead” as to the customer’s identity.
The erroneous transaction might have occurred at their Bukit Canberra outlet, they said, though this is pending verification.
According to a report by Shin Min Daily News, one of Mr Fang’s workers told him that at 10am on that day, a man in his 50s approached the stall.
He purportedly claimed to be the customer who accidentally transferred the cash.
Mr Fang said he asked the man to come back the next day with verification and he would get the refund.
Kudos to Ah Gong Teochew Noodle for their honesty, and we hope the customer eventually gets his refund.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Ah Gong Teochew Noodle on Facebook and Google Maps.
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