Jacky Wong, owner of Kok Sen Restaurant on Keong Saik Road, a popular destination for foreign tourists, received a WhatsApp message on Oct. 31 from someone claiming to have found a cockroach in their food during a meal the previous day, The Straits Times reported.
The sender demanded S$300 in compensation and attached several photos of the allegedly contaminated dish, along with a receipt showing a bill of more than S$110.
Wong initially feared the complaint could damage his business and said he apologized, promising to take responsibility, AsiaOne reported.
His suspicions after he asked for a week to investigate, but the complainant refused to wait, claiming an urgent need for money and threatening to report the restaurant to authorities or post about the incident online unless compensation was paid immediately, according to Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News.
Wong also questioned why someone who claimed to be short of money would have spent more than S$110 on a meal.
Further investigation revealed several suspicious details. The sender used a Malaysian mobile number, had activated WhatsApp’s 24-hour disappearing messages feature and communicated exclusively in English.
Wong also found it unusual that the cockroach appeared in such a prominent position in the photograph that restaurant staff would likely have noticed it when serving the food.
The suspected fraud was exposed when Wong searched Google Reviews and found an identical photograph posted by another customer. The image showed the same dishes, soft drink can and diner’s arm, but contained no cockroach.
The insect had apparently been digitally added to the original photograph, Wong said.
The alleged scammer had also copied the receipt from the Google review, dated Oct. 22, contradicting their claim of having dined at the restaurant on Oct. 30.
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A diner at Kok Sen Restaurant on Keong Saik Road in Singapore. Photo courtesy of the restaurant’s Facebook |
Wong has since filed a police report, adding the restaurant has 22 CCTV cameras installed throughout the premises, allowing authorities to check footage and verify incidents.
Kok Sen Restaurant is a long-established eatery specializing in “Zi Char” (traditional Cantonese-style home-cooked stir-fried dishes). The restaurant has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction since 2016 for serving quality food at affordable prices.