Kim Lim threatens legal action after fake buyer vanishes with designer bag after live-stream sale

Straits Times

19-05-2025

Billionaire heiress Kim Lim sold many of her luxury bags in a sale that has attracted resellers and even fraud. One woman reportedly posed as a buyer to pick up a bag she did not purchase.
Jan Lee
The Straits Times
May 18, 2025
What is a bag from the personal collection of billionaire heiress Kim Lim worth? The risk of arrest, it seems, at least for one person.
The 33-year-old daughter of tycoon Peter Lim recently cleared out her designer wardrobe over live stream on Instagram, putting many of her almost-new luxury bags on sale and channelling proceeds to charity. With items from brands such as Chanel and Dior going for prices much lower than retail, the sale attracted more than 15,000 viewers, many eager buyers, and perhaps some fraudulent behaviour too.
Lim held two days of live-stream sales on May 13 and 15.
On May 17, the account she used to conduct the sale (@kimlimstuff) posted an Instagram Story which said a woman with long curly hair dressed in a blue T-shirt and light-coloured denim jeans had posed as a buyer to pick up a bag at around 7.30pm on May 16. The post did not specify which bag she took off with.
It added: "We have obtained (your) appearance from the camera record. Please contact us and return (the bag) immediately. Otherwise, we will take legal action."
The Straits Times understands a police report has been lodged.
Aside from deception, the sale also attracted some hoping to make a quick buck.
At one point in the sale, a buyer snagged the cult-favourite Chanel 22 Chain Hobo Quilted Lambskin with Shearling bag for $6,900, listing it on reselling platform Carousell shortly after for $8,500.
The listing said it was from the "Kim Lim collection".
Influencer Xiaxue, who co-hosted the live-stream sale with Lim, blasted the move, saying: "At least wait for a while to sell... You haven't even got the bag with you, yet you went to list (it)."
Lim later said on Instagram she was disappointed and would refund and block the buyer, warning that successful buyers should not attempt to resell the items or else "karma will hit you".
She told magazine Her World that she felt "frustrated" by the resale listings as she had hoped the bags would go to buyers who genuinely wanted the items.
She added that the sale was meant to declutter her home.
She said in the interview: "I've reached a point where I feel like it just got too much, all my bags have to be cramped together and the Singapore weather also makes it very difficult to maintain their condition. My family has also been pushing me to get rid of my things so… I woke up one day and just decided that it's finally time to sell some of them.
"A lot of my friends have been telling me that many people really want such bags, but their budget may be an issue, so I thought, why not share the love?"
Some of the deals included a black Dior Saddle Bag, which typically retails at $6,400, going for $2,900.
Lim also listed a Chanel Woven Chain Top Handle Vanity Bucket Bag at $4,500, a rare collector's item that she said she was tempted to keep for herself, as well as a Chanel Croissant Mini Black Lambskin bag for $5,200.
Buyers who wanted to nab the items had to comment quickly to claim the bag they wanted. The first commenter would get the bag if they sent a WhatsApp message with payment proof within three minutes.
Lim also offered every viewer three $100 vouchers for her businesses: Illumia Therapeutics, Papilla by Kim Lim and 198 Space.
More than 10,000 people sent messages in the hope of getting the bags and vouchers, temporarily triggering WhatsApp to block the number due to high traffic.
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