PUBLISHED ONSeptember 24, 2026 4:26 AMUPDATEDSeptember 29, 2026 3:35 AMBYKoh Xing YingA dispute has arisen over $1,254 spent on massage treatment vouchers after an elderly cleaner's family members claimed she did not agree to all of the purchases, while the company maintains that the transactions were made with her awareness and consent.
In a post shared on Threads on Sunday (Sept 20), the woman's granddaughter said her grandmother was initially offered a $10 massage at a booth in Yew Tee but her family later alleged that she had been unaware of the full amount of purchases made.
However, in a statement to AsiaOne, the company disputed that account, saying the customer knowingly purchased a series of treatment vouchers for herself and family members after discussing its services with staff.
The granddaughter said the family is currently awaiting a resolution to the case.
"I'm currently waiting for the agreed refund. If they fail to refund within the stated timeframe, I will make a police report and publicly name the company." she wrote.
Speaking to MS News, the granddaughter, Nabila, 30, said the incident took place on Sept 18 at around 4.30pm at Yew Tee Point.
According to Nabila, her 80-year-old grandmother, who works as a cleaner at Yew Tee Primary School, was approached by a salesperson who offered her a $10 massage after noticing the way she walked.
She added that the salesperson subsequently introduced a $380 massage package at an outlet in Holland Village, which her grandmother agreed to purchase after being told that the sessions could also be used by family members.
The company said its staff introduced various therapy and treatment packages after the woman told them she was experiencing pain in her right shoulder following a fall at work. According to the company, the discussion was conducted with the help of another staff member who translated from English into Malay.
The company said the woman agreed to purchase treatment vouchers worth $494 for herself, comprising a $380 treatment voucher and a $114 therapy voucher.
However, when the elderly woman did not have enough cash to pay for the package, she was told that she could make payment by card.
The company said the woman subsequently agreed to purchase additional treatment vouchers for family members after telling staff that both her husband and son suffered from aches and pains.
According to the company, she purchased a $494 treatment voucher for her husband and a $266 voucher for her son.
Following the transaction, the staff gave her complimentary mooncakes and herbal patches.
The family only discovered the extent of the charges over the weekend, when Nabila and her brother accompanied their grandmother to the market.
"We discovered that her bank balance had fallen to approximately $17. She was shocked when we told her," Nabila reportedly said.
Nabila's grandmother subsequently showed the family her receipts and claimed she believed she had only agreed to the $10 treatment and a $380 package.
The company disputed this, saying she knowingly purchased multiple vouchers for herself and her family members.
According to the company, the total amount paid was $1,254, comprising $266 in cash and $988 through NETS transactions.
The NETS payments were made across five separate transactions, it said, adding that the woman entered her PIN for each transaction.
Nabila and her family then returned to the booth to seek clarification and request a full refund.
When approached by the family, Nabila said the vendor initially offered to refund only part of the package, but she insisted that the full amount be returned.
The company, however, said it had agreed to a partial refund after discussions with the woman's son, before later acceding to Nabila's subsequent request for a full refund.
The company eventually agreed to a full refund, which Nabila said would take up to two weeks.
The family then signed a refund form and were asked to return the complimentary gifts to the company.
In its statement, the company denied allegations that the woman had been charged without her knowledge or consent. It also denied using pressure-selling tactics, including claims that customers were told discounts were available because it was the final day of the roadshow.
The company said the full $1,254 has since been refunded.
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