From a consumer's point of view, there are two types of Chinese: 1. those always wanting to buy the best at the cheapest price; and 2. the scammers/schemers who con the cheapskates (no.1) to make a fast buck. This story is one of a few experiences we've had with Chinese scammers.
I was hoping to upgrade my Canon 400D DSLR to the latest 50D. The other day, I was surprised when HD told me to look out for one although, his green light comes with a condition, that it has to be a bargain price (he's type no.1). His favourite line is...if it's more than 50% off, then get it, otherwise forget it.
So you can imagine my absolute excitement when I found this camera for sale for $988 on eBay, brand new, and with the 18-200mm IS lens!! This set currently retails between $2,400-$2,900 in Australia. The seller had good credentials and was based in Oz and had 12 units to sell. They were being snapped up fast. However, I had this niggly feeling that the price was just too good to be true. Not to miss out on a 'great bargain' he went ahead and bought it.
Then my niggly feeling was confirmed when we received an email from the 'seller'. Curious thing was that although she had an Aussie name and valid address in Queensland, we were instructed to wire transfer money into this bank account in China, under a Chinese name. From that I knew it was a scam. Shortly after, eBay jumped the gun and cancelled the transaction. And so my dream of owning a Canon 50D went **poof**!
Moral of the story is: If it's too good to be true, it probably is.
So until the day I can cradle this camera in my arms, these pictures will have to do. Sigh.
9 comments:
Well done Edith!Smart smart girl!!!!!
You had just pass your "instinct test" given by our ancestors to their descendants,spreaded all over the world.
Or is it that you are also a capricorn like your daddy and me?Me?????
A "soh chai",siau kia,verrückter,bala bala,nuts etc,crazy people are like numbers.Never ending!
"Never ever try to cheat a member of the "all in the family"!NEVER!
The amount of our brain cells is as long as the distance from Darwin-KL-Hamburg and back.We avoid one way tickets,never travel in narrow minded streets and is always aware of Dirrrty road signs.
There is something common with us.The products we love are always good and expensive or sometimes good and cheap.Like cheap sale in town today.Actually I went to settle my health insurance and my itchy fingers wanted to touch cloth.I love to feel the material between my fingers.I had learnt this custom from my mum,during our shopping stints in jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
She would rubbed the material between her fingers."Mama,why are you rubbing the cloth like some people,the "gold from their nose?I asked innocently.
"Chong remember,the cloth must be as soft and tender like the gold from your nose and not dried and hard,"she replied.
"The cloth must be soft and natural when you wear it,"she continued.
Then she even went further.This time like my maths teacher,very precise and fierce looking.
"WHEN I BUY SOMETHING,I MUST FEEL IT,OR ELSE I DO NOT KNOW THE QUALITY!!!!!!"
"OR SOMEONE SHITTING ON ME!"
So Edith,the next time go shopping "live",it is more exciting than online.
And you do not want the salesgirls to lose their jobs,do you?
Me not!so I had managed to grab 2 short sleeve shirts from 35 down to 17.95 euro and another 20% off!
Shopping can be sooooo exciting!This is the only time I'll show the weaker sex of me,like God's greatest and the best creation,a FEMALE!
Everyday I thank God for his creation and making my Life not boring not only for Adam but for me and all the good guys.Thank you again.
Most Chinese have two important guiding principles in life, 勤(qin) and 俭(jian) （hardworking and thrifty)。I grew up in a family that is 勤俭持家-be industrious and thrifty in managing a household. But when the basic needs in life (clothing,food,shelter, transportation) are taken care of,and there is money to spare, then the guiding principle is 精打细算(jing da sai xun)-careful calculation and strict budgeting。This Canon episode is a good example. By the way, oniomania is not in the Oxford dictionary. It can only be found in the Random House Dictionary. I have scoured thru all the dictionaries in MPH to affirmatively say this. The word means:
o⋅ni⋅o⋅ma⋅ni⋅a /ˌoʊniəˈmeɪniə, -ˈmeɪnyə/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [oh-nee-uh-mey-nee-uh, -meyn-yuh] Show IPA
Use oniomaniac in a Sentence
–noun an uncontrollable desire to buy things. -
Origin:
< NL < Gk ni(os) for sale (deriv. of ônos price) + -o- -o- + LL mania -mania
Related forms:
o⋅ni⋅o⋅ma⋅ni⋅ac /ˌoʊniəˈmeɪniˌæk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [oh-nee-uh-mey-nee-ak] Show IPA , noun
Daddy used to say to me: Live within your means. Coming from the same family, I'm sure he lived by these principles too. I do keep his words in my heart.
Daddy was hardworking and thrifty, but we were never deprived. He always provided us with the best, but he taught us how to earn it.
The fact that I am a female unfortunately puts me in the category of shopaholic, though I confess I enjoy shopping (not necessarily ending up buying). But there is a difference between sensible shopping and compulsive buying - which is what oniomania is. Wikipedia describes it as an addictive disorder. After reading the diagnostics in Wikipedia, I'm glad I'm short of being that.
HD was brought up by the same principles. He rules our finances with an iron fist. He preaches to the kids (and myself) the value of money all the time.
At the end of the day, it's not about having the best, but getting the best value for your dollar (ie. sensible shopping). As long as we're living within our means, I believe we're allowed little luxuries in life. After all, we only live once, might as well make the most of it :)
This is a materialistic world. Like uncle Vincent said ‘spending’ (consumer power) makes the world economy go round! So please enjoy your shopping by all means, so long as you get value for your dollar. You have certainly earned our admiration in the way you mix business with pleasure and it is your business to be a shopaholic so that your business may prosper! Yee Bak is full of compliments on your shopping skills. We share those compliments every time when Xinyi puts on the dresses that were purchased on your recommendation! The little one just looked so extra cute! My translation of 精打细算 (jing da sai xun)-careful calculation and strict budgeting-is too literal. You have put it aptly as “getting the best value for your dollar”. And certainly this is no oniomania. It would be quite a different story, if someone simply cannot resist the temptation to buy stuff like hand bags and shoes every other day （a bit exaggerated !）just to satisfy a compulsive urge to buy, buy, buy!
we are S.M.A.R.T people.(Smart management always requires tranquility).Before we buy a product there is absolute calmness,we screened and creamed out the product,we re-consider,we compare prices,we apply reason to buy and not an excuse to buy,and the most important point we can ask ourselves,do we really need this stuff?
An oniomaniac execute a different behaviour.They do not have any tactics and there is no strategy involved.They do not have any reason to buy but an excuse to consume goods in order to satisfy their addiction.In Hokkien we call it "Gian",in english "cold turkey",similar to drug addiction.
As a result,they ended up with many things that they really do not need.
The best advice that my father taught me was,one third for bills,one third for savings and one third for spending.Simple as ABC!
His formula is so solid and tight,there is absolutely no room left for oniomania.
A Chinese General,Sun Tzu,wrote in the fourth century that,what is of supreme importance in a war is to attack the enemy's strategy."And the best way to neutralize a competitor's strategic heartbeat,in our view,is to change the rules of play.
We are aware of the changes of our competitor,but this will only reduce the thrills of a "communicated,harmless,opinion warfare".
The rules of this game is to be fair,no hard feelings,polite and to have lots of fun.And in the end have a drink of "teh tarik" together.Like a school debate with the application of democracy,chinese style.
There are two extremes. On the one hand, words like: Affluence, lavish, extravagance, spendthrift, prodigal, squander, waste describe one way of spending our wealth. On the other hand, Dicken’s Mr Scrooge comes to mind. Scrooge is miser who lives in wretched circumstances in order to save and hoard money. Such a person must be miserable!
There is no denying that we prefer to be S.M.A.R.T people, and the one-third rule has become the universal advice given by all fund managers. Smart people would derive best value for money in their spending, and not to deprive ourselves the little pleasures in life when we can afford it.
However, oniomania is a mental disorder where the spending is not justified. If it is a mental case, I wonder if there is a cure for such addiction.
"Teh tarik" "yam char"is a feature in our society. We have a new feature - Old Town Kopitiam. Old Town refers to the origin of Ipoh. I am indulging myself to a RM3.90 breakfast at the Kopitiam now!
A few days ago,I read in the german Newspapers that around 2 million people are having debts ranging about a few billion Euros.The tabloid Newspapers likes to build up sensational stories here in Germany.
But there is a tiny truth in their exaggeration.Many of them are in deep deep trouble.No doubt the law only allows credits for people over the age of 18,but I still think they are too un-matured at this age.Some of them behave like kids at the age of 8.
I came to Germany at the age of 19,with a bag and a few clothings and only US $150 only from my years of own pocket money savings.My father paid for my airfare from his government belated increment.From the day he had his pension and until a few months before I left for Europe,he was only having the same amount of pension.
Our ancestors came from China to other asian countries and they visit the various chinese temples from the various clans.These places were served as an institution to take care of their problems,as a job center,clinic etc.Especially in Penang,where the Khoo clan was and is still well established.This is only an example.
Today,the Filipinos go to different churches in Germany after they had arrived here.Their Odyssey is almost the same like the chinese in the times of Admiral Cheng Ho or even dating later back.
Without S.M.A.R.T strategy,discipline,self control,positive thinking and fighting spirits.No one can survive in this very cold blooded country,especially when no family members is there.
So how come the oniomaniacs can never handle themselves?Of course they can.!What they have is only a mental disorder and not a mental damage.Some of them are stubborn but when you seal up their water tap,they have no choice but to come back to reason.They must stop living all their lives with full of excuses and complexes.
Edith!I'm getting a bit lonely.Dano left us,now we are short of one kaki.
Or are they playing hide and seek without informing us?
These N.A.T.O(No Action Talk Only) delegates are really quiet.
Or are they using the telepathy tactics?This a number too big for me.Why?Or else I'll find out where they are hiding!
How to send them to NY for a conference?They will come back home like the 3 famous monkeys.
And the Rakyat will go to the road again and cause a traffic jam in town.It's democracy,they are the tax payers!
The FRU will enjoy playing with water and the tax payers paying for their game.
This is what the Germans say,"verrükter Welt" Crazy or mad world.
The Germans used to say,"ohne nichts,kommt nichts!"
(Without nothing,comes nothing!).
Isn't it logical and simple?
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