Company under investigation by Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) continues to send out invoices to businesses asking for payment for services which they did not request for or use.
Earlier this year in June, TOC reported how one company which called itself the Singapore Company Register, sent letters to various businesses and companies, ask for “verification” of the details of companies in a mail and state that if the companies does not verify their information in 2 weeks, the information of the companies “will be deleted from the Singapore Company Register database”
Those who “verify” their details with the company and register with them would have to pay a fee of S$490 per year.
However, National regulator of business entities and public accountants, Accounting And Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) stated that it has “no links whatsoever” to the company and mentioned that companies are “not obliged” to provide details to them and should only update their information with ACRA themselves.
TOC also reported on how the company sent a defamation letter to a blogger for her blogpost on its questionable business operations.
Since June, Data Register Pte Ltd has been under investigation by CAD and faces a total of 104 charges in court brought against it by ACRA.
ACRA had also issued 4 public alerts about the company, warning businesses not to sign up with them.
Just recently, reader, Dr. Petunia Lee approached TOC and shared that she has received a reminder letter and a legal letter from this same company threatening her to pay up.
The reminder letter states that she has yet to pay the charges indicated on the invoice which was sent to her on 13 January 2014 and that she will not have to pay the late interest of the sum owing if she pays up promptly.
The subsequent “legal letter” written by Data Register Pte Ltd went further by saying that it would take her to task through their lawyers “Rodyk & Davidson, LLP”, if she does not pay up $490 for “subscription fees”. In addition, there is a 8% per annum penalty for late payment.
This is despite the fact that she had subscribed to nothing at all from Data Register Pte Ltd.
She states she feel being both threatened and penalised via their actions.
“Should not our country’s laws be re-defined to bring such companies to justice? I did not fall for Data Register Pte Ltd’s shenanigans but others might.” said Dr. Lee.
She also asked about the investigation of the company which started earlier this year.
“This company has an address and a phone number. The phone number does not answer, and I have not checked out the address. The company does provide a bank account number (which is bona fide or else their scam will not work). Surely, the police can track these perpetrators through that bank account?”
When contacted by TOC on 22 December about the matter, CAD said that they are still currently in the midst of investigations into the company and advise all who have received the letters to seek legal advise whether to pay the company or not.
In the meantime, online vigilante “SMRT feedback” had earlier announced on its facebook page that it will be embarking on an operation against Data Register Pte Ltd.
The fanpage had earlier garnered much attention during the Sim Lim Square saga after digging out information about Jover Chew, the owner of Mobile Air Pte Ltd and its action against him.
