Damn Scammer

Yes.
I almost got scammed.

So here's what happened.
I was in lab one fine day, using the SEM when I received a "withheld" number on my mobile.
Over the other line was a lady who claimed some shit about her company running a market survey or whatever nonsense, and my handphone number was apparently chosen randomly to attend an event.

Usually when I receive such calls asking me to attend some random event, my first reaction would be to ignore that person, and forget entirely about going anywhere. Which I did.
So she went on talking, and I just kept hmm-ing in reply.
"So you will be there?"
"Hm."
"Okay. See you there."
"Hm."

So Sunday came about, which was supposedly the day of the event.
I was writing my thesis when I received a call from, I think, from the same person.
She asked if I was at the event, I said no.
She said that I actually won a prize in their lucky draw.
Now, usually I can't be bothered about this because if a prize is involved like that, there is usually some gimmick or a catch behind it.
Hence, I ignored.
Oh, forgot to mention she was speaking in Mandarin. Had that PRC tone too.
My Mandarin basically sucked, so it made ignoring her easier.
She mumbled, I hm'ed again.

Then came this morning, I was on my way to lab. (If you hadn't noticed, my life has been taken over already by my FYP)
On my way to lab, I recieved the same call, from I think, the same person again.
So she said I had won a prize money of...what? 10K? Didn't catch it, I was still in a state of ignoring her.

And then she started talking, alot.
Trying to convince me about the prize money, about their company, about how they got my number.
I wanted to just hang up, but on the other hand, a part of me just wanted to listen on.
"What if this is true?" I wondered.
So I started listening.
And then she said she needed my particulars.

AND WAH LAU.
HER ENGLISH CANNOT MAKE IT
SHE NEEDED MY NAME
TOLD ME TO SPELL OVER THE PHONE
MY NAME = IVAN
SHE KEPT SAYING, I-B-A-N? I-P-A-N? I-V-A-M?
4 LETTERS.
WHAT HAPPENED IF I HAD A LONGER NAME LIKE ALEXANDER? OR CHRISTOPHER?
VOMIT BLOOD.

So I said, in exasperation, why not I email my particulars to you.
To which she replied that I can't, because we should not submit our information so openly over the internet like that, that her company prefers that I tell her over the phone, yadda, yadda, yadda...
At this time, something smelt fishy (Which could be my lab - see post below).

Anyway, she asked for my bank account number, which I had with me at that time. But then, I was being suspicious, so I told her I don't have it.
So she ask for me to find it out, and she'll get back to me.
She also gave me her office phone, as well as her company's website (www.hdfhk.com)...
Told me to check it out, still trying to convince me that she was the real deal, that the names of the winners will be on the morning chinese papers next Monday...

Now, while I was on my way home, she called again, asking me for my bank account number.
I thought, wow, she sure is efficient, which rang another alarm bell.
Because I've worked before, and I know, (and this is because working people all love to procrastinate and generally have no efficiency) usually when they say they will get back to you, they will do so the next day, or even later.
Anyway, I told her I was still outside. I wanted to look at the website first.

So I came home, and checked the website, seems okay at first glance.
But then, I realised some pages were missing or couldn't load.
And when I tried to register...
It actually accepted my login and password as:
Login name : qwert
Password: 123456
ZZzzz.......
I wanted to laugh. But I needed further evidence.

Then I realised the Internet is my best friend.
So I googled hdfhk.
And sure enough, I got this:
http://richmond.ca/safety/police/news/releases/1207-phonescam.htm

Case closed.

Like my friend said, no such thing as a free lunch.

She'll call me up again tomorrow, I guess, to get my bank account number.
I am contemplating if I should play around.