Chapter 14 - One-sided Message To Him
Chapter 14.1 - 'Investigation Mode' Ignited
The more I think about it, the more I drown in sadness. This is the emotional side. The next day, when I woke up, the rational mind of mine takes over the job. It will send me some messages to my brain on what I should do next.
I need to verify and check on the information details Gee has sent me so far.
a) The invoice which Gee claimed that he received from his Singapore-based agent. Working as an accountant, we have been guided and trained on checking on the details and particulars on each invoice.
(Let me see.)
This invoice seems to have been prepared by manually typing or editing the details onto a blank invoice. It comes with PDF-formatted company letterhead. The fonts used for editing the details were not uniform; a mixture of this and that font formats.
(Can a company invoice be such low-standard? Or it was just me?)
b) The header was typed with Gee’s full name. The address typed below his name was one of the famous business towers in New York.
(Hmm? No office unit number? Are you trying to tell me your freelance independent construction company owns or rents the whole business tower? Hahaha… Seriously? Nah… I don’t buy it.)
c) The beneficiary bank account information indicated at the bottom left of the invoice was not any forwarder company but a personal bank account, with a name that sounds so much like an Indonesian woman…
(Finance staff have been trained to pay 120% attention on beneficiary account that is not a company account. Only a minority of companies that still using personal account to receive payment, e.g. small-scale business or sole-proprietor. But for a genuine established company in Singapore, this shouldn’t be the case; they should have a least a company bank account set up for their trade transactions. Beneficiary bank account is supposed to be the company name where the local agent is working for.)
(So, who is this person then?)
d) There is no any other supporting document besides this invoice. How could Gee, i.e. the one who exports his tools to project site doesn’t even have a list of items he sent?
(Hahaha… Don’t joke with me.)
Gee pushed all those questions that I asked to his local agent. Giving me the impressions that he knows nothing about the shipment at all.
“I’ve sent all to him. All you need to do is just give the local agent a call, and understand from him what needs to be done.” “I cannot do international payment as my account was blocked.” Gee claims that he would repay me the money afterwards.
(If you are able to repay me, surely you can pay the freight charges directly to your agent. Or, are you just bluffing me on repaying me the money?)
(To me, this is ridiculous. What does it have to do with me especially when it is related to his work? Am I his company’s CFO or secretary? And Gee is expecting me to help him pay for that invoice.)
(Oh gosh…) I can’t help but rolling my eyes.
I have been thinking on how to alert the rest of the ladies or women out there who might still be in contact with Gee through that dating app. More victims might be spammed.
I grab my wallet and go down to the neighbourhood police station which is just a block away from where I stay. I want to file a police report against this Singapore-based forwarder (who Gee addressed as “the local agent”). I have the phone contact of this local agent, their name and bank account information.
I didn’t have any intension to disclose any information about Gee, at all but focusing mainly on that agent. (I can’t bring myself to report Gee. I can’t…)
But the smart police officer interviews me further; posting me questions like where did I get this information from? With who have I liaised with so far? How did I get to know this guy? What is the main contact’s phone number (this would refer to Gee)? Did the main contact ever ask me to pay the invoice? Well, I don’t think of lying so I have no other choice but to blurt out all the details about Gee.
In the end, the police officer prepares a police report. Since I didn’t suffer any monetary lost, this report will be classified as ‘for their information reference use only’; no further investigation action will be taken.
(Huh?!?) “You won’t even make a call to this local agent and trace him out?” I bluntly ask the police officer.
“No further investigation action will be taken.” He repeats.
“I see…” (Okay…) “Thank you, sir.” I stepped out from police station.
Later in the evening, I make a phone call to the customer service hotline of the bank (i.e. the bank indicated on the invoice ). The bank officer from the card lost or fraud reporting department answers my call. I share with her about the invoice and bank account holder’s name. Without a doubt, she assures me that, that was high likely a spam and reminds me not to pay anything. She records all the information I gave her into their bank system. Strange thing is, she only requests for that agent’s name, contact number and Gee’s phone contact number.
“Why you didn’t take down the particulars of that account holder. Wouldn’t that help when some victims intend to pay or transfer money to this account number? Wouldn’t that trigger bank officer’s alertness quicker?” I ask.
She claims that the information she asked for, is suffice.
(I still find it strange; but bank has their procedures and policy. So, let it be.)
Since I am now talking to the bank officer that handles fraud reporting, I ask her if there is any similar report on this local agent so far.
“Not that we are aware of at the moment.” She replies. She re-emphasizes me once again that this one is a spam; make sure I ignore that payment request.
“What information that is critical but sufficient for a hacker to hack into one’s bank account?” I ask further. My curiosity pushes my limit to ask and learn more. She is the best person to advice on such fraud act.
“Birth date and Bank account number will enable the hacker to make their way hacking into one’s bank account and empty the victim’s money in that account.” She shares some useful information with me.
“Oh my God! Just these two things and that’s all?” I was shock to learn this.
“Yes, so be careful not to tell anyone about your bank account number.” She replies.
I thank her sincerely and end the call.
(Birth date? Oh no, I did share with Gee my birth date, I was the stupid one to disclose it myself the other day. And my Facebook account also has my date of birth disclosed. My circle of friends can see it. Oh no…)
Immediately, I log in into my Facebook account and hide my birth date. But it’s too late, Gee has already gotten this info; directly from me. (I am such a fool…)
(Bank account number… Will Gee ask for my bank account number next if I agree to pay on his behalf for that freight cost, in order for him to reimburse me the cost? That way, Gee will get my bank account number… I guess that’s how the conversation flow would lead to.)
Today was a little stressful day for me to learn all about the spam act.
I call it a day.
Chapter 14.2 - 'Investigation Mode' Ignited - Continue
The next day, I retrieve that Award Certificate that Gee sent me. I scrutinized over it. And again, the signature is the biggest doubts I have. It was written as “Dennis” instead of ‘Giuliano”.
At first, when I received it, I thought that this award might have been signed on Gee’s behalf by his secretary or so; and I didn’t take it seriously. But when I quote my doubts on this to Gee, when he kept pressing me in his messages why I didn’t help him; claiming that I was the only one he knew in Singapore.”
Gee replied in his text message claiming that he is a well-educated person and signature is just a signature. “Dennis” was the signature he has been using to sign numerous contracts.
(So far, I haven’t seen anyone sign with anything other than their own name. Maybe my working experience on this part is too limited?)
Taking a closer look on that signature.
(Hmm…?) Something weird catches my attention. Giuliano’s full name that was properly typed below the signature field, was overlapping the signature! Literally, certain alphabet of his full name was typed on top of the hand-written “Dennis” signature.
(That’s negligent work of the spam team, I believe).
Next, Giuliano’s full name was printed at the center of the certificate. But if anyone can zoom in and look at it closeup, its alignment to the background design of the certificate was out. Giuliano’s full name was literally typed and covered up the real name printed on that certificate.
(Oh my goodness, even my accounts assistant girl can do a better PDF-editing job than this.)
Enough! This certificate is a fake document, as well. It could be a genuine certificate awarded to the person who was called Dennis but definitely not to Giuliano.
I ask another ex-colleague of mine, would an agent allowed to use any reputable company’s logo on their own invoices?
The answer is No.
Agent should have their own company logo or use their own name as letterhead, at least. Usually, big corporation as reputable as the one that might award such huge offshore contract, would have very stringent requirements for anyone who intends to use their company logo. Official consent letter with special approval is required before anyone can using their company logo or quoting their company name in other document or announcement. So, this invoice from the so-called local agent can’t be genuine.
I traced back on Gee’s messages, I remember there’s one message where he informed me about him starting to prepare his tools to be shipped over to project site in Singapore.
(Found it. Let’s see…) Looking at the date of that text message, how could a shipment from USA to Singapore be so fast? At least, two to four weeks for any shipment by sea.
The text message that Gee wrote was just a few days ago, before the day he asked me for help to pay for that shipment clearance.
I think I have done enough analysis to proof to myself that all these were just an act of spam. I even called up the finance department of that reputable company that award the offshore contract. I try to ask if this invoice and the said local agent ever appear in their record. But too bad, the phone line to finance department was on busy tone. No one is answering my call.
The telephone receptionist needs the project manager’s name if I would like to verify further with the Engineering department regarding the awarded certificate. I don’t have that information; so, I end the call.
My rational mind wins. And I feel so tired to realize all these ugly facts. My emotional heart, once again, feels sad. Defeated by reality.
I didn’t manage to get any quality sleep for the past two days. I really need to relax and get some rest.
Chapter 14.3 - Long Voice Messages
I have decided to leave Gee my voice messages, via WhatsApp. I don’t want to write messages as words sometimes mislead the reader and didn’t convey the true message the sender intends to express.
I drafted what I intend to say over voice messages, in 3-page of full script papers. Just so that, I don’t miss out any points that I would like to say to Gee.
(I could be clumsy in some way but I do things whole-heartedly.)
Each voice messages can only record up to fifteen to twenty seconds. So, my 3-page long messages that can be done in one minute over a phone call, is now split into thirty-two voice messages!
(Am I too grumpy?) I am not so familiar with recording voice messages; some are recorded as long voice message while some are rather short.
I told Gee that I had my findings after some verification checks on his invoice and shipment information. The way he pushed his work arrangement onto me and then totally retreated from our conversation, makes him look like a joker. And I don’t want to talk about the shipment topic as I feel so hurt now. So… so hurt…
I told Gee that I am not angry like anyone would if this ever happens to them. I don’t know why but I feel sad instead.
So sad to realize that “Oh, so the Gee here, is still not the one appearing as my lifetime partner, huh?” I am sad to also realize that, the Gee that I want to build my happy life with, will never ever show up at my door-step. (Reason being, his work at Singapore is not real.)
I told him that I have cried so many times and killed many trees with the tissue papers I have used.
“If you are serious about our relationship and you would really show up at my doorstep, I would still consider, forgive you. It doesn’t matter how you look like as I can recognize your voice. But looking at your responds these days, I don’t think so.” I say.
“You have lost all the trust I have in you. Trust is for one to earn it from others through their actions, not just blank talk.”
I sang the song that Gee likes to hear me sing, for one last time…
(I tried so hard not to cry and control my voice so that it is not sobering…)
I thank him for his routine messages and phones calls in the past, every day without fail.
I thank him for his appreciation in my jokes and sharing our laughter together. He would be surely missed.
To the one I have invested deep feelings to, I remind Gee to take good care for himself at work and his health; to drive safe whenever he is heading out.
“Good morning, Gee~” I sang the Good Morning song that I invented for him, once more… (My voice is shaky. My heart is breaking…)
I hope that sometimes in the future, it would still bring a smile to his face when he recalls on any jokes that this ‘feisty tigress’ Mint has shared with him.
“Let me say this one more time, Gee, I miss you so much, thank you. But that three words ‘I love you’ will really be on KIV (i. e. Keep in view) and to be confirmed when I meet Gee, in person, and get to know the real Gee.”
“Farewell, my Sunshine, Muakk…”
(My voice is breaking, my nose is blocked, as my tears fall.)
“Thanks for your notes, I never had any intention to hurt you and will never have such… I’m also hurt that you didn’t trust well enough… Enjoy your life and you will be treasured and remembered (added with a finger-crossed icon)” Gee replies in text message after listening to all my voice messages. It arrives half an hour later, on his Friday evening.
(This was the only message from him that didn’t mention about that shipment topic, ever since he dropped me that ‘Urgent Matter’ bomb.)
(My heart feels so heavy and cold, as Gee is now, literally, giving me his farewell wishes in his message…) This is the end of us.
Chapter 14.4 - Why Am I Sad?
“TO A PERSON WHO DOES NOT LOVE YOU, YOUR HAPPINESS, SADNESS, ANGER AND LAUGHTER, MEANS NOTHING TO HIM.
THE YOU WHO ARE SO MUCH INTO THIS RELATIONSHIP, IN THE END, ONLY ABLE TO ‘TOUCH OR MOVE’ YOURSELF.”
I came across this from a book written by a Japanese author “Fight As A Girl”.
Yes, I have been crying, over and over again; whenever I playback those voice messages that I sent to Gee.
(Am I really being moved by my own romantic messages to him? Possible…) What a shock I came to realize now. Speechless… I think I really was moved by my own words and those sentimental tones when conveying my thoughts to Gee.
As if anyone who felt so touch by a scene or a dialogue in a movie, that causes him or her to remember it for a very long time.
A week after I sent those farewell voice messages to Gee, I find myself to be such a romantic freak, for what I have said to him, those touching words, those sweet songs, those farewell wishes. I could be a romantic novelist, I guess.
(Why would I cry for one who does not love me?)
My rational mind laughs at my silly self. I am back into rational mode now.
(My emotion was low-spirited last week but now, it’s full of positive mode; the sadness was pushed and hidden at the very corner of my heart.)
(Such drastic change, will I go crazy?)
Chapter 14.4 - Revenge Begin
Gee has stopped both text message and voice call, ever since that day I sent him voice messages. In reality, I still think of him, from time to time.
I miss him so much.
I feel so annoy that Gee’s voice and laughter keep appearing in my mind. This causes me making another crazy decision. I decided to keep sending him messages; one or two messages in a week. I intend to bombard his mobile phone and disturb him, as a little revenge.
(Silly me; so childish.)
I know that he won’t be replying any of my messages from now on. So, all these silly actions of mine will become one-sided messages to him.
(Is this revenge? I don’t quite sure or is it just me fooling myself for trying to stay ‘connected’ with him?)
I sent him one or two messages in a week, mentioning about some casual topics that I encountered during the day. Just like a blogger, writes a short blog, on any random topics.
(I can see that Gee did read them from the ‘tick’ settings in WhatsApp. But he never replies. He did not block me from his WhatsApp, I don’t know why. Maybe his boring daily routine work life needs some fun messages? I don’t really have the answer.)
