Ecoin.sg review: warning 7

There have been many terrible reviews about this China Based shop located around Singapore. One of which I've had made the worst mistake of my life, and thus losing more than half a thousand bucks.

I'd like to share my experience with everyone so that there will hopefully be no more "victims". If you're one of those who trust people easily and can't say no to others, please pay special attention.

This store used the usual tactics. Opening promotions: haircut SGD$1 for members $3 for non members. Just the thing I was in need of a haircut. So I entered the store and was served within 6minutes of waiting by this woman who I thought was so strange that can only speak Chinese. (I am terrible with that language so I explained that I'm bad with Chinese. But she continued speaking in that language.)

We began with a simple haircut, rather long, about 12 minutes or so. Occasionally she would pop a few questions like are you working, have you applied for member, etc, and of course...in Chinese.

After the hair cut was where it began. She requested for my help. "Handsome come and help me awhile" direct translation from her Chinese statement.

Now here's the thing. She had asked me about my life abit and if I like to help people. I suspected nothing while she found out I'm a student volunteer. So naturally I'm accustomed to helping people when they needed. So when I thought she needed help, I stood up immediately and went with her.

She pop me up in another seat and started to use some strange machine to scan/zoom into my scalp. There was a monitor to show how the roots of my hair, etc. Here she explain how my roots are damaged etc etc (I understood nothing since it was explained in Chinese...)

Without asking for my consent she started applying some cream onto my scalp, explaining that this treatment from the usual 259 bucks is now at a discounted price of $59.

Now here's the tricky part. She had already applied the cream which is the start of the treatment. So I'm like. Hello, you apply the cream already then you tell me the price. Here she's like don't worry don't worry, I'll remove the cream now.

Then she started applying more cream to my hair, saying it will be over shortly, and placed this huge machine over my head. It was nice. She even offered Chinese tea. At this point in time I'm already bewildered, but under their spell since I can't go out of their shop with my hair full of cream.

After 10minutes of being under that machine. She took me to wash my hair. It wasn't that bad. We came out after a while she started using a hairdryer to blow dry my hair.

At this time is where the scam begins.

She'll lead you to the cashier for payment. But she'll say in order for the scalp to be clean and the treatment to be successful, you'll need to undergo this treatment 10 more times!

This is a lie. I'm afraid I'm just too stupid to reject the offer. I mean, they offered an additional 2 treatments, making it 12 more of such treatments in total, and made the treatment that I just had free.in addition, they said that anyone can just go into the saloon for such a treatment if they knew my date of birth and my phone number.

Not a bad offer right? Plus my friends can use it too.

Here. Somehow I'm already taking out my card to make payment of 600 bucks. It was only after payment was made, then I started to realize a few things.

1) You don't need 10 treatments for it to be successful. 1 is enough. More than necessary. Your scalp is already cleaned. Just make sure it stays that way.

2) Do you know how easy it is to obtain someone's DOB and Phone number these days? Once they know you're a member... Hey sir can you fill out this survey form for me. Boom. 10 treatments gone.

3) This is the thing that aroused my suspicions. Minutes after leaving the store, my hair started to itch and my head hurts like mad. (I won't say unbearable.)

Apparently they don't allow refunds.

I'm writing this online as a lesson for myself. Many people will be complaining saying my complain is biased, racist etc. But trust me, I don't mean it. I'm saying that it could happen to anyone. I only found out it was based in China via online reviews and searches.

Here's some takeaways.
1) If you're new to something. Research first. The first thing I see when I search Ecoin on Google is: avoid this shop. I'm not kidding.

2) Don't go around helping people who don't look like they need help. "Need to rush off somewhere" is a good tactic to use.

3) Be careful of what you reveal to others. It can be used against you.

Cheerios. Stay safe, be smart.

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