Thugs and Bullies - 801 401 3202 XXX 0

The Ultimate Lift Jeans is Levi's latest innovation. I love how it gives me the push at the right spots and how it snugly wards off the flab. Basically, these jeans banish the unsightly and boosts up the good.

I wish I had a tiny machine (the size of my EsteeLauder Turbolash Vibrating wonder) to do just the trick like that in my life.
Accentuate the good, diminish the bad.

Of late, I have found solace spending quality time with close family and dear friends who have put that smile back on my face. It's been a rough few months to say the least, freelancing can be quite a bitch when the tough gets tougher; but like what I have learnt in life is to appreciate and see the good in every black moment.

Speaking of black moment, I would like to share what happened a few days ago.

My colleagues and I were on our way to a very important meeting; and we decided to car pool. My car was driven by Kelv, the Team Manager, and I was in another car cause Ashraff, Cyn, Robert and I needed to fine tune some issues before our meet with our client.

We stopped at the petrol station nearby before departing outstation and this was when the incident happened.

My car was stopped by an Orange Gen 2 WXX 2095. (This was the very same car that had (eerily) followed my car around TTDI when my colleague's husband took my car for a quick trip to the shops to get books for his son prior to our trip down south.)

After a VERY long barrage of questions, I found out that my car was going to be repossessed. These 3 thugs were going to tow my car away. I naturally panicked.

"This must be some mistake...am I getting punked? "

A quick call to the bank, I found out that records indeed showed I had not paid the installments of the car for almost 3 months. I was mortified and highly embarrased. I watched from afar as my colleagues tried to calm me down and talk to the 3 thugs.

In a state of bewilderment and disbelief, I call Ryan and got the number of our girl, Sew Teng at the Ambank Bangsar Baru branch. Explained to him what was happening to which he reacted in the same way. Shock.

Ryan, family and close friends would know just how anal I am about paying rent, bills and debts in time and in full amount. There MUST be some misunderstanding somewhere ...
Anyway, I knew I had to deal with this later and get the Orange Gen 2
and its 3 thugs away from the curious stares of the petrol station customers.

So I politely asked white Thug what was going on.
He spoke only in Chinese. So did the rest.

I told him I could not understand Chinese, so Robert translated the conversation.

I demanded for a letter. He showed it to me briefly (but was not allowed to hold it). I called up Ambank again and explained this to Sew Teng to which she asked me to call a guy called Guna from the Repossession Dept.

I did just that but he didn't pick up my calls. I left an sms. He did not reply.

I decided to take matters in my own hands.

"I will pay the 3 months installments now. Come to the branch with me" I say to 3 thugs.

They say NO. They were asked to tow the car.

I was getting agitated by then. I called Guna again. I think he accidently pressed the
"GREEN/YES/ANSWER" button because I heard him. AND if I am not mistaken, I heard him talk about me and my car. Was that a bitching session? OMG!

Called Sew Teng and told her Guna was not picking up my calls. She asked me to try again.
I decided to go to the nearest Ambank branch to settle this.
3 Thugs were not allowing my car to move.
(they parked right in front of my car and got another to stand behind the car -- yes. VERY drama like!)

Anyway, reached Ambank at Uptown Damansara. Spoke to a soft-spoken lady called G. Vasuki. Explained everything to her and passed her a wad of bills.
She checked her computer and told me that she was unable to deposit my money as "The Account has Been blocked"

I was surprised.

"why?"

"cause your car has been towed"

"Rubbish! My car is being STOPPED by a couple of thugs at some random petrol station at Sunway Damansara!"

I tell her about Mr Guna (yang tiada Guna?)
She calls him up and he promises to get back to her/me ASAP.

After a looooooooooooooong wait, we get an sms from Kelv saying he was talking to the 3 Thugs and they suggested we pay 2 months installment and RM1,500 for their 'salary'.

"WTF????"

I told my Manager, boss and confidante, Ashraff "N-O!"

At the same time Guna calls me. FINALLY.

"What's happening Guna? Why does the system state that I am unable to process payment cause my account has been blocked due to my car being 'towed'?"

"Oh..madam...so sorry....blah blah...but this is because you have not paid 3 months"

I explain my situation and he mutters.

"So what should I do now? I have the money with me now. I would like to settle it. No need for the thugs to tow my car away"

"Oh, we are sorry mam'...but your car is being repossessed now."

"Guna...I am sorry, but I don't understand. My car is NOT repossessed...YET. I wish to pay now. There is no need for them to tow it. Please talk to them. This is highly embarrasing"

"You ask them to settle with you at the branch lah"

"That's what I suggested earlier to them! But they refused to let my car go! Just unblock the system and you will know I have paid, and you can tell the to back off!"

"I am sorry, but there will be a payment required for settlement of storage and tow charges'

"Guna...my car has NOT been towed moreso stored! So why do I need to pay for that? And what is this I hear about them telling me to go back to the (petrol) station to pay them 2 months installment and a RM1,500 fee for (their) salary? I am sorry...but I smell something fishy here. I think it's dodgy and someone is doing wrong here. I am a reporter and I am going to inquire and lodge a complain to the Consumer Association!"

"eh...why you get angry with me? You are the one who didn't pay!"

(Dumb ass -- I KNOW by records, I am wrong in paying late, but why should I pay the idiots for their salary in doing something they have not even done? ie: tow and store my car.)

I tell Guna to talk to their "boss" swiftly as we were all very late for a meeting.

Kelv calls Ashraff's phone (or was it the other way round?) and passes the phone to me. A guy call SAM speaks to me.

"I am sorry Ms Daphne for my colleagues who cannot speak English. But *same story * "

"Sam...I don't see why I can't just pay from here. Why must I pay you RM1, 500?"

"Cause you have to pay this amount to us anyway when your car goes to our storage yard"

"Yes, but Sam, my car is NOT in the yard. Please speak to my Manager"

(Pass the phone to Ashraff)

Ashraff: " So you want us to what? Settle out of the books? Meaning a bribe lah?"

(conversation takes place between them, Ashraff looks frustrated and passes the phone to me to which I hear Sam talking angrily to Kelv saying,
"your friend ahh...don't want to pay us...like that ah...." .....hangs up.)

Robert who was very quiet all this time then tells Ashraff and I that we should just settle. These people hve ways of using force. I was fuming.
I was adamant about NOT paying, but time was ticking and I have a precious girl to think about. So I decide, reluctantly to pay.

Ashraff takes over negotiations.
They agree to come to the Ambank branch.

I was nervous, and the rain didn't help calm my nerves. I felt like I was in some gangsta movie. Minus the fighting moves.

I tap on G. Vasuki's window (office hours closed) and I ask for a copy of what was written on the system. I apologize to her and explain that it was out of principle that I needed to lodge a complaint or a letter of concern as this was very confusing and upsetting.

She understood. She could not pass me a copy, but she allowed me to look at the
screen.
GOODS REPOSSESED.
I also asked the Security guards to be on standby in case things get nasty.

Sam, 3 thugs and a tow guy appear with Kelv and the rest of the team in my car.

I ask them to stand near the branch so the CCTV can capture any hanky panky. I had 4 men with me, but I was still paranoid. Kelv managed to haggle the 'salary' for these thugs down to RM700. We pay the dude Sam (who by the way ASSks me really angrily,

"what is this about you wanting to lodge a report to the police about me?"

I answer, "Not to the police Sam, to the bank. This is not right. I don't see why I need to pay for all this when my car has not been towed."

He answers me "I am just doing my job."
Yeah right A** hole!

I ask for a receipt and a copy of the letter. They said they can't pass it.

A few minutes later, Sam calls his boss to UNBLOCK my account so I can pay the sum owed to the bank.

They left once all this was settled.
---

It took me a few days to post this blog as I was worried about my family and my safety. I needed courage so went to Church to ask for guidance today.
I do know I feel very strongly about this. It's upsetting to say the least.

Yes. I was wrong in not checking on my installments. But when I checked with Ryan, there were no letters (of warning) sent to his parents house (which my initial correspondence address was) nor any calls were made to him or the house. So by right, they can't just threaten to tow my car, right? We simply didn't get any reminder.


Secondly, how come in the system it showed that my car had been repossessed when it was clearly not? I asked Guna this. He said once they (thugs sent to tow cars like mine) see my car, they will call the bank to block the account. You can't BLOCK my account based on the sighting of the car right? You got to be kidding me!

Thirdly, how come Guna said that whatever amount I settle with the thugs, he (Ambank) doesn't want to know. What is that supposed to mean? Does this NOT sound dodgy to you?

To bankers out there, especially if you are from AMBANK MALAYSIA, kindly educate me on this matter?

To the rest of the world, do check on your payments even if it is on autodebit. Just in case. You can never be too sure. Sometimes, you forget that you have a time limit to your autodebit.

The good in all this?

I am super careful with payments and updating addresses/contact details. I also miss the fiery side of Daphne. She's been pretty sad about how things are unfolding. Which reminds me. I need to talk to her next. I don't know what is going on, but I am curious to know why. Especially after what MK said today.

Ryan was kind to get his influential friends from above to assist me if things get nasty with thugs and bullies. I saw a cockroach just now. The swift hand of an Angel (was it ridsect?) destroyed the crawly creature and I felt safe again.

Yes. If only I had a tiny machine (that doesn't need to vibrate) that can just accentuate the good and diminish the bad.
But then again, it's the horrible bumps on the road that makes you more careful in the future.
It's that painful ache that makes you appreciate your health better when you are well.

I guess God has funny ways of showing us stuff.

I am blessed. Thank you Lord.