FROM the young educated professional to the besotted old codger -- they never seem to learn.

"One engineer called me and said he knew scratch-and-win contests were banned," said Shasi Kumar Nagesvaran, a manager with the National Consumers Complaints Centre.

"But he fell for two pretty girls who approached him and sweet-talked him into parting with RM7,000."

B. Yesotha, another manager at the centre, said: "A man in his 60s was cheated twice.

"And the second time he was cheated, he said two young pretty girls took him by the hand to the bank and he withdrew RM31,000 and gave it to them.

"They use phrases like 'treat me like your daughter' and pressure these people into parting with their money.

"The victims actually believe that luxury cars or other expensive prizes are awaiting them when they participate in the scratch-and-win contest."

Yesotha said recent complaints showed that consumers were now being lured by scratch cards showing logos of hypermarkets.

After scratching the card, they are asked to pay a few thousand ringgit as processing fees for whatever gift on the card.

Consumer Claims Tribunal chairman Rungit Singh said people must remember that nothing comes free.

"No business will offer you 'free gifts' for free. A free gift is always tagged to an intended sale transaction. To add mystery to the free gift and transaction, they make the consumer a winner of a free gift, not as a mere receiver of it.

"When the element of winning comes on, the consumer feels doubly lucky because he or she is winning it, not simply receiving it."

From the cases filed in the tribunal, said Rungit, one free gift always led to another until eventually payment was demanded for the delivery of the free gift, as well as extra products. --NST