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Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
Woman says she's ‘bewildered' after man asks her to 'PayNow him' for their first date dinner
SINGAPORE: A woman was surprised when a man she went on a first date with asked her to send him money via PayNow for dinner, several days after they met. She shared her experience on the r/askSingapore forum on Saturday (May 31), explaining that she had agreed to meet the man, who is in his 30s, after they had developed a good connection through their conversations on a dating app. Describing the date, she recounted, 'He kindly offered to pay for the meal, which I appreciated, so I suggested we head to a nearby bar afterward so I could return the favour and buy the drinks.' However, when they arrived at the bar, the man mentioned that he had leftover drink credits from previous visits, so he did not order anything new. As a result, she ended up paying for her own drinks alone. She also noted that the chemistry in person did not quite match the spark they had during their online conversations, making the overall experience somewhat underwhelming. 'The vibe just wasn't the same as it was over chat, so after the date, our texting kinda fizzled and slowed down. I didn't reply for a few days.' However, several days later, she was caught off guard when the man suddenly messaged her, asking her to transfer her share of the dinner bill via PayNow. See also Man asks how to recover S$60K his friend borrowed 3 years ago 'He messaged me saying the dinner was XXX each and asked me to PayNow the amount. For context, it wasn't an expensive restaurant, and let's just say he earns quite a bit and owns a condo he bought himself,' she said. 'While I do think it's a nice and gentlemanly gesture when a guy covers the bill on the first date, I'm not trying to be entitled — I'm totally fine with splitting bills and going Dutch. I did transfer him [the money], but this is the first time someone has asked me to transfer money after a first date, especially when (I assume) it's pretty clear to him that there's no second date, haha. I find it more amusing and bewildering than anything.' Curious if others had similar experiences, she asked the forum, 'Is this normal? Would love to hear your thoughts and POV from both female and male!' 'He sees it's not going anywhere, and so he thinks he wasted his money…' In the comments section, some Reddit users defended the man's actions, suggesting that he might have only asked for the money after feeling ignored. They speculated that while he may have initially been willing to cover the cost of dinner, the woman's lack of response after the date could have triggered his decision to request repayment. See also 6 effective approaches when dealing with difficult people at work One said, 'He might have been ok with paying for the meal, but is now upset about the lack of a reply. I know of people of both genders who hate not getting replies, so now he asks to chop up the bill. This is not what I would have done, but I can see why some people might feel they are getting ghosted and respond in this manner. We also don't have his side of the story, so who knows what really happened?' Another commented, 'I think it's only right to pay your share since it is a first date and neither of you is an item. I've always told my daughters not to let the other party pay all the expenses.' However, not everyone agreed. Others felt that asking for repayment days after the date was a bad move. One explained, 'It would have been perfectly normal for you guys to have split the meal at the time, or even if you agreed to split it, but just pay (the) merchant on a single card, and then you PayNow him instantly back there and then. See also GF ends relationship because BF's S$16,000 savings too little But to pay for dinner and then wait a few days and send a bill, that's just weird. He sees it's not going anywhere, and so he thinks he wasted his money. Well, tough luck, this ship has sailed already.' In other news, a woman took to an online forum to share her frustration about her boyfriend, claiming that in their nine-month relationship, he had never once initiated a date or treated her to even a simple meal. 'In these nine months, he's never initiated bringing me out on a date once, never treated me to a meal, and never surprised me with any gifts (no matter how small).' According to her, the only times he's ever bought her anything were under certain conditions: when she asked for it, when he felt pressured to return a gift, or when he sensed she was upset and offered her a fast food meal. Read more: 'Is this SG men these days?' — Woman says her BF never once initiated a date or treated her Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
AsiaOne
3 days ago
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
PHV drivers rally to raise funds after Grab driver dies suddenly, leaving behind 2 children, Singapore News
Several private-hire vehicle (PHV) drivers are rallying to raise funds for the family a Grab driver who died suddenly from a stroke, leaving behind two teenage children. Gavin Neo, a 49-year-old single father, died on Thursday (May 29), according to an obituary notice shared within a Facebook group for PHV drivers. According to user Lambo Lee who first made the announcement, Neo had suffered a stroke on Tuesday, two days before his death. In their posts, several other drivers also appealed for donations to the family, affirming Neo's hardworking personality and dedication to his children as the sole breadwinner. 'It's for my kids and their future' Neo was also known to work up to 16 hours daily, drinking three cans of Red Bull just to stay awake, according to Lee. After working through the night, he would then rush home to send his daughter to school before sleeping and repeating the cycle. "Gavin was a humble and down-to-earth guy, [who] always shares his experience with his peers and newer drivers in the same trade," wrote Facebook user Bryan Ang, another friend of Neo's. Ang also shared a personal anecdote where he would sometimes ask Neo why he always opted for the cheapest meal — a $3.80 plate of chicken rice. "It's for my kids and their future," Neo would say, spending frugally so that he could support his children as much as possible, shared Ang. Wrote another driver: "He has two kids, he is someone that doesn't spend on himself, he doesn't buy branded [goods] or eat expensive food. He doesn't drink or gamble, all his money goes to his kids." Neo's long hours earned him a four-star rating and a Diamond Tier on Grab, which is only awarded to the top 10 per cent of drivers on the platform who complete up to 2,000 trips every three months — an average of 22 trips a day — according to a driver whom Shin Min Daily News spoke to. Not covered by insurance Neo was not a member of the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), according to Kelvin Lam, a fellow PHV driver who also vouched for Neo's tireless work ethic in a lengthy Facebook post. Without the insurance coverage that is offered to members, he is "not entitled for the additional $40k death support which may help to tide the family in this difficult time", Lam added. He appealed to netizens to send donations to Neo's family "to help his children tide over a few years more till adulthood". "If you can afford, a simple token, crowdfunding is ongoing now, can PayNow however big or small an amount, every drop helps make the ocean," he said. Family still in shock Neo's family is still struggling to come to terms with his sudden death, according to his sister who spoke to Shin Min at the wake. She attested that her brother worked long hours every day to provide for his two children. While she was surprised by the outpouring of support online, she also expressed gratitude for the concern shown. "We appreciate it and hope everyone can give our family some space," she told Shin Min. [[nid:717685]]
26-05-2025
Over 180 ‘fake friend' scam cases in Singapore since April, S$653,000 lost
SINGAPORE: At least 187 cases of 'fake friend' scams have been reported in Singapore since April, with victims losing a total of at least S$653,000, police said in a press statement on 26 May. Authorities said there has been a resurgence of this scam type in recent months. According to the police, victims typically receive unsolicited WhatsApp messages or phone calls from local mobile numbers. The scammers claim to be a friend, asking the victim to guess their identity. Once a name is suggested, the scammer adopts the identity of that known contact and requests that the victim update their contact details. After establishing trust, the scammer would ask for a loan or help with a banking transaction. Victims are then instructed to transfer money via a local bank account, PayNow number, or QR code. Many victims only realise they have been scammed after contacting the actual friend whom the scammer impersonated — or when the supposed loan is not returned. The police are advising the public to be cautious of anyone who contacts them from an unfamiliar number requesting urgent financial assistance. They stress that such requests should only be entertained if the person's identity can be verified. 'Fake friend' scams were among the top five scam types in Singapore, with 4,179 cases reported in 2024, according to the police's Annual Scams and Cybercrime Brief. While the numbers remain high, the report noted a 39.1 per cent decrease from the 6,859 cases recorded in 2023. Correspondingly, total losses fell by 41.1 per cent, from at least $23.1 million in 2023 to at least $13.6 million in 2024. Despite the decline, police said the scam type remains prevalent—particularly among older adults. Most victims in 2024 were aged between 50 and 64. For more information on scams, the public can visit or call the 24/7 ScamShield hotline at 1799. Anyone with information on such scams may contact the police at 1800-255-0000 or submit it online at
New Paper
26-05-2025
- New Paper
More than $650,000 lost in Singapore to fake friend scams since April
Since April, victims have lost at least $653,000 to fake friends scams in Singapore. At least 187 cases of this nature have been reported in that time, the police said in a press statement on May 26, marking a resurgence of this scam type. In these cases, victims would receive unsolicited WhatsApp messages or phone calls from local mobile lines, from scammers claiming to be their friend. The scammer would ask the victim to guess their identity, before assuming the name of the said friend, and asking the victim to update their contact details. Subsequently, scammers would contact the victims, asking them for loans, or to help them perform a banking transaction. Victims would then be provided with a local bank account, PayNow number or QR code to transfer money to. They would discover that they had been scammed after contacting their actual friends or acquaintances whom the scammers had impersonated, or when their loan was not returned. The police advises members of the public to be wary of anyone who contacts them via an unknown number to ask for urgent loans, and not to accede to their request unless their identity has been adequately verified. To learn more about scams, members of the public can visit or call the 24/7 ScamShield hotline at 1799. Those with more information about such scams can also call the police at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at
The Star
26-05-2025
- The Star
More than US$507,000 lost in Singapore to fake friend scams since April
At least 187 cases of this nature have been reported since April, the police said in a press statement dated May 26. - ST/ANN SINGAPORE: Since April, victims have lost at least S$653,000 (US$509,400) to fake friends scams in Singapore. At least 187 cases of this nature have been reported in that time, the police said in a press statement on May 26, marking a resurgence of this scam type. In these cases, victims would receive unsolicited WhatsApp messages or phone calls from local mobile lines, from scammers claiming to be their friend. The scammer would ask the victim to guess their identity, before assuming the name of the said friend, and asking the victim to update their contact details. Subsequently, scammers would contact the victims, asking them for loans, or to help them perform a banking transaction. Victims would then be provided with a local bank account, PayNow number or QR code to transfer money to. They would discover that they had been scammed after contacting their actual friends or acquaintances whom the scammers had impersonated, or when their loan was not returned. The police advise members of the public to be wary of anyone who contacts them via an unknown number to ask for urgent loans, and not to accede to their request unless their identity has been adequately verified. - The Straits Times/ANN
