75-year-old woman with hearing impairment allegedly pressured into S$880 salon package

SINGAPORE:A 75-year-old woman with hearing impairment is alleged to have purchased an S$880 hair dye and scalp care package at a salon in Yishun, leading her family to file a police report.

According to Chinese media outlet Shin Min Daily News, the woman’s son-in-law, Mr Huang (43, engineer), shared his mother-in-law’s ordeal with the media.

He explained that she initially visited “A Salon” at Block 414, Yishun Ring Road, for a S$38 hair dye service.

Mr Huang claimed that as the dyeing was nearly finished, the salon staff introduced a scalp care treatment, mentioning that it would only cost “about S$80” and take just a few minutes. The woman then proceeded to pay using her bank card.

S$880 Multi-Session Package

However, the family later discovered that the transaction totalled $880 for a 12-session package.

Mr Huang alleged that the salon exploited his mother-in-law’s hearing difficulties, claiming she was unaware of what she had signed up for.

He revealed that her son only uncovered the situation when a transaction notification appeared on her mobile phone.

“My mother-in-law is elderly and has serious hearing problems. We always have to shout to communicate with her,” Mr Huang explained.

“She thought she paid S$80 but ended up being charged S$880. She felt very upset when we told her.”

Mr Huang approached the salon for a refund but was refused, leading him to file a police report.

He added that his family does not expect to recover the money but hopes the incident serves as a caution for other elderly individuals.

Salon Staff Claims Price Was Confirmed Multiple Times and Clearly Displayed

According to Shin Min, one of the salon staff, Mr Zhao, when approached by reporter, denied any wrongdoing.

He admitted the elderly woman’s hearing was poor but claimed he confirmed the transaction details five times and wrote the price on paper for her to see.

He also noted that the payment machine displayed the amount clearly before she approved it.

“I even showed her the price and asked her repeatedly if she was okay with it. She signed the package form willingly,” said Mr Zhao.

He added that the woman wrote her personal details on a membership card and signed next to the package price.

Mr Huang, however, suspects that the staff may have obscured the exact amount during the process.

Mr Zhao defended the salon’s actions, stating that their business relies on good customer relationships, especially in a highly competitive area with nine other salons nearby.

“We’ve only been open for six months. We rely on regular customers and would never deceive anyone,” he said.

MTI Minister Reveals 128 Complaints on Unfair Practices by Hair Salons Between Dec 2023 and Apr 2024

During a parliamentary sitting in May, Member of Parliament (MP) Liang Eng Hwa raised concerns regarding a previous warning issued by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) on unfair practices among hair salons.

In response, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong stated in a written reply that the consumer watchdog “investigates all claims of unfair practices and does not hesitate to take firm enforcement action when necessary.”

Mr Gan added that such enforcement measures include seeking court injunctions to prevent errant businesses from engaging in unfair practices.

He noted that since the media release in November 2023, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) had received fewer complaints regarding hair salons.

“Between December 2023 and April 2024, CASE received 128 such complaints, compared to 154 in the preceding five-month period,” he said.

Mr Gan emphasised that the government will continue collaborating with CASE to monitor industry practices, while also assessing whether stronger deterrent measures are required to address egregious conduct.

CCCS Investigates Hair Salon Chain for Exploiting Elderly and Unauthorised Charges

In October, CCCS announced an investigation into HairFun, a hair salon chain, over suspected unfair trade practices.

These practices reportedly included “targeting and exploitation” of elderly customers and obscuring payment amounts during NETS transactions.

The commission also received complaints from consumers who claimed they were billed for unwanted treatments or packages without clear consent and charged “significantly higher” prices without prior agreement.