People like going to the malls for shopping (window shopping), foods, recreation, entertainment, leisure, etc. sometimes we just want to check SALE items or any services a mall can offer. Unfortunately, there are a few people who try to take advantage of shoppers and first timers, people who are not aware of were targeted as victims.
I just wanted to share our experience in Manila, we almost fell into the trap.
Here’s what happens
Last May 29, Monday afternoon, EJ and I were at the SM North when someone approached us, showed her ID and immediately introduced herself.
Her name was Jen, 26 years old, worked as a promo agent in Cocolife. She gave us a coupon for raffle entry with Free Personal Accidental Insurance and she told us there are other freebies to claim if we will participate in their on the day promotion. No obligations. No commitments.
Napatingin naman siya agad sa bitbit ko at tinanong kung anung ginamit naming pambayad sa mga napamili at chineck ang recibo. Ang sagot ko, debit card. Napatingin din tuloy ako. Maliit at isang supot lang ang dala namin. She asked if we have credit cards, we said no.
Mapilit siya na kumakausap kahit naglalakad kami palayo sa kanya. Tinanong niya kami kung first time kaming maalukan sa Cocolife and said yes. Itinuro niya ang booth/kiosk nila na nasa gitna. Saglit lang daw naman na 30 minutes ang presentation nila, no obligations but instead may free insurance kami and other freebies. Nakiusap siya at para hindi daw siya malintikan sa boss niya, dahil baka sabihing pumi-petiks lang siya sa trabaho.
Chikka moments! Tricks to steal your heart and money.
Magaling siya umarte at nakuha niya kami. She build our trust. Gusto lang daw niyang ipakilala samin ang Cocolife, no sales talk at meron silang promotion na “Win a Trip to Singapore For Two“. Ang requirements nila para makasali sa promo ay credit card/ATM balance inquiry receipt at valid ID.
Wala kaming ID na dala nung time na yun and we don’t have credit card. Sabi nia balance inquiry receipt na may laman na minimum PHP15,000 with SM North location nalang para makasali.
Sinabi namin na hindi talaga kami interesado pero magaling siya makipagusap. Nun sinabi na namin na sa iba nalang siya mag-offer ng promo at hindi na namin kailangan sumali dahil OFW kami sa Singapore mas marami siya lalong na-chikka dahil nakapunta na siya sa Singapore at tuwang-tuwa siya sa ganda at linis ng Singapore.
Kung ayaw naman daw namin ng trip to Singapore balato nalang daw sa kanya dahil pwedeng i-encash ang prize ng 50K.
Makulit si Jen, finillupan ko nalang ang form niya para matapos na. Hanggang sa sinabi niya isend nalang daw ang picture ng valid ID namin sa kanya at balance inquiry nalang daw sa ATM para makasali sa promotion. Sayang naman daw.
The balance inquiry strategy
Samahan na daw niya kaming mag-balance inquiry at dinala niya kami sa SM Annex. Malapit lang ang booth nila sa SM Annex. Nung ibigay namin sa kanya ang ATM balance inquiry receipt akala namin ay tapos na at ang akala naming 30 minutes presentation ay iyon na. Haha.
Ihuhulog nalang daw para sa raffle na nasa sa baba lang naman. Napilit na naman niya kami pumunta sa office ng Cocolife sa lower ground floor ng SM Annex.
Sounds fishy, ang weird ng requirements nila sa promotion na need icheck ang balance with receipt of your bank account.
Hawak-hawak parin niya yung form na finill-upan namin at yung ihuhulog na coupon. Sinabi niya samin na Manager na niya ang magppresent at kapag tinanong kung willing makinig sa presentation ay ang isasagot lang YES. Suddenly, she act like a teacher, ang bilis na niya magsalita. Paulit-ulit din niya sinasabi, “Mam, kapag tinanong kung willing makinig ang isasagot lang natin ay YES. ‘Wag na masyadong magtanong para mas mabilis matapos.” Nakabilog pa ang YES na word sa papel niya. She assured us na mabilis lang naman daw ang presentation.
At this point, we decided to STOP.
Pagpasok namin sa office nila medyo may mga tao na. Masikip, maliit lang ang opisina. May one-on-one presentation sila sa bawat lamesa. Kinutuban na ko, nagusap kami ni EJ na for sure hindi nga lang 30 minutes ang aabutin natin dito kundi mas matagal pa.
Hanggang sa dumating na yung Manager at pinakilala niya kami, the Manager checked the form and the ATM receipt. She asked if we are willing for 30 minutes presentation doon na ko nagsabi ng “I’M SORRY, NO”
Tinawag niya si Jen, kinausap kami ni Jen at nagexplain pa ulit, para siyang nagmamakaawa samin. Makinig lang daw kami sa presentation ng Cocolife para ipakilala ang company. Akala namin nung nilapitan niya kami sa SM North kasama na dun yung 30 minutes niyang presentation at ihuhulog nalang yung coupon for the raffle entry sa promotion nila. We go with the flow and wasted more than 30 minutes of our time already.
Tumanggi na lang talaga kami and we said sorry nagmamadali na kami, halos lagpas na nga kaming 30 minutes naguusap. Mapilit pa siya pero nag walk out na kami.
Learn how to say NO.
Nung nakalabas na kami ng office nila ang sabi sakin ni EJ umirap si Manager sakin nung tinawag niya si Jen at sinabing, “Jen hindi pa nga ko nagsisimula maarte na siya.”
Nagmerienda kami sa Yellow Cab, SM Annex at nagkwentuhan. Kakaiba na talaga ang marketing strategy ngayon para makakuha ng cliente, sales, etc. kahit insurance company pwede kang ma-hypnotize dito. Malamang may pressure na dun sa loob and that the promotion is valid today, hindi na pwedeng pagisipan ang promotion, etc. etc. we attended presentation like this in Boracay parang laging ganun yung mga salestalk kahit saan. Gigipitin ka lang nila at ipapaniwala sayo na maganda ang offer nila at mahihirapan kang tumanggi. Hindi ka nila titigilan hanggat hindi ka nakukuhanan ng sales. Maraming options na ibibigay, depende sa budget mo hanggang makuha nila ang gusto nila. Nakakatuwa lang dahil minsan lang kami sa Pinas at tiempong naaalukan pa kami ng mga ganito.
Good thing, wala kaming mga pinirmahan at hindi naman kami nagsend ng ID’s namin. Meron lang silang ATM receipt at yung ilang details na nilagay ko sa parang coupon. Hindi nila hinulog yung coupon entry namin for the raffle haha it’s all lies.
Hindi man namin nalaman kung paano yung style nila, masaya kaming mabuti nalang we said NO and that we still have time para makapag merienda. We have bought our insurance in Sunlife, sana wag nilang ipressure ang mga tao na kumuha ng financial product na hindi naman nila alam knug para saan at kung kailangan nila lalo na at hindi pinagisipan.
Being well informed is your friend
- We/Customers must play our part and do our due diligence before purchasing any financial products
- Secure yourself, ask financial advisers not agents if you wanted to buy any financial products
- Don’t ignore the fine print, don’t sign anything without reading and understanding the contract
- Understand your own financial health, before engaging yourself to make monthly payments
- Take time, do your research and check their terms and conditions
How to avoid this one? Learn how to say “NO” quickly. If they will ask you don’t get hooked through imagining the ‘size of the prize’, not worth it.
Summing it all up
Nalulungkot lang ako na after kong i-search ang Cocolife online marami na pala silang customers na nabiktima ng strategy na to, and some were finding out how to refund their payment. Ang weird lang ng strategy nila to get paying clients because ang daming nag rarant sa social media. Kaya pala they were asking how much is your ATM account balance because later on they will swipe your card to get your payment for the product na hindi mo naman alam if it will benefited you nga in the long run. No time to review! Sadly yung iba nagbabayad para makaalis nalang. 🙁
Please be very careful with these types of situations. I wrote this article to share our experience with our family and friends to be careful, stay away from sweet talks, insurance company like this and learn how to say NO. You make just save them a whole load of heartache and disappointment if this happens to them.
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