Elderly Woman’s Trust Betrayed: FDW Steals Over $6K Via PayNow
A 69-year-old woman fell victim to theft by her foreign domestic worker (FDW), who deceitfully transferred over $6,600 from her bank account.
This disturbing case highlights the vulnerability of trusting employers in the face of cunning deceit.
According to Shin Min Daily News, 32-year-old Indonesian helper, Tian Sandika (name transliterated from Chinese), began her employment in August last year in a household at Bukit Batok Avenue 5.
Her primary responsibilities included household cleaning and caring for the elderly victim, who is retired and lives with her daughter.
While serving the family, Sandika faced the pressure of repaying her family’s debts in Indonesia.
Feeling desperate, she asked her employer (the victim’s daughter) for a loan to buy a motorcycle for her father and to cover medical expenses for her sick family members.
Moved by her story, the elderly woman and her daughter generously provided her with extra cash to support these causes.
In a twist of apparent gratitude, Sandika offered to “assist” the elderly woman with using her mobile phone, as she seemed unfamiliar with modern technology.
Under this pretext, she helped set up applications necessary for online banking and PayNow transfers, registering the accounts with the victim’s phone number and her own email.
That’s exactly what she (not elderly victim) needs right?
Operating under the guise of assistance, Sandika used the opportunity to transfer funds to her own bank account.
Between 19 April and 13 June, she executed 19 transactions totaling $6,653.87 from the elderly woman’s account through PayNow and online banking.
She also obtained the victim’s ATM PIN and withdrew S$1,585 in four transactions between 25 March and 21 April.
The last fraudulent transaction, amounting to S$700, was made on June 13. After each deceitful act, she meticulously returned the card to its original place.
The following day, Sandika claimed her mother was unwell and requested to return to Indonesia.
Unbeknownst to the family, she had not only stolen the money for her family debts but also indulged in various online shopping sprees.
Just when you thought Sandika had no choice but to steal due to family debts.
The revelation of the theft came about a week later, on 19 June, when the employer noticed the depleted funds while updating her mother’s bankbook.
The elderly victim expressed her heartbreak to Shin Min Daily News, stating, “We found out that an account that had S$7,000 in it was left with just S$3.”
Upon Sandika’s return to Singapore on 7 October, she was immediately arrested.
She has since been sentenced to five months in jail for theft and violating the Computer Misuse Act, leaving a cautionary tale about the perils of misplaced trust and the vulnerability of the elderly in such situations.
