Over 100 people, including students, allegedly lose $700K to Pokemon card supplier on Telegram
Over 100 people, including students, have allegedly lost about $700,000 to a Pokemon card supplier operating via a Telegram channel.
The channel, titled fulfillmenttcg discussion with over 2,000 subscribers, has been flooded with angry messages from buyers demanding refunds for pre-ordered items from the supplier, who operates under the handle PawsTCG.
On Feb 2, a proxy for PawsTCG, operating under the handle Fulfillment TCG Store SG, shared a listing of the Ascended Heroes Pokemon cards, a highly anticipated trading card game released on Jan 30. Pokemon cards, part of the immensely popular Japanese media franchise, have become increasingly popular since the Covid-19 pandemic, with individual cards selling for as much as millions of dollars.
A delivery window of Feb 23 to 25 was promised. However, on Feb 25, Fulfillment TCG Store SG sent a broadcast message announcing a shipment delay of one to two weeks. It was then that buyers began to grow suspicious.
Total losses alleged to be about $700K
A link to a website called Pokevictimboard has since been circulating in the channel, allowing victims to record the amounts they lost.
According to the website, at least $761,439 was reported across 119 entries.
'Literal children getting scammed as well': Victim
One of the alleged victims is Kenny Ang, 37, who told Stomp that Fulfillment TCG Store SG is run by a 22-year-old man, whom he described as the "mule".
Following a confrontation with the man at his home on Feb 25, they concluded that PawsTCG is the "final boss scammer", who gambled away all the scammed funds and reportedly has only $8 left in his bank account.
Subsequently, Mr Ang and the group went to PawsTCG's home intending to confront him, but were unable to meet him. They documented the visit in a livestream and photos posted on Mr Ang's TikTok account @kaicollectcg, which has since garnered over 55,000 views.
Mr Ang also claimed to have received a call from PawsTCG, whom he said admitted to the scams and a "gambling problem". However, since buyers dealt directly with Fulfillment TCG Store SG, most police reports were filed against him instead.
Mr Ang, who said he lost about $4,000, added that the largest single loss reported amounted to about $125,000.
The "worst part", he said, is that many secondary school kids have reached out to him for more information and clarification. "That's when I realised that there are literal children getting scammed as well. That's the disappointing part."
Victim loses $615
Another alleged victim, who only wished to be known as Mr Sim, said he placed his first pre-order for three boxes of cards on Valentine's Day, amounting to $315.
He made a second purchase the following day worth $300, bringing the total amount transferred to $615.
When the shipment delay was announced on Feb 25, Mr Sim filed a police report.
Citing the indefinite estimated time of arrival for his pre-ordered items and describing it as a "very large shipment", he said the situation seemed "immensely suspicious".
Mr Sim said that Fulfillment TCG Store SG eventually clarified that he had been scammed by the supplier, PawsTCG, who "denied responsibility and involvement in this".
Checks by Stomp showed that Fulfillment TCG Store SG has since shared his account of the situation on the channel, including screenshots of transactions, relevant details, and personal information about both himself and PawsTCG.
Responding to Stomp's queries, the police confirmed that a report had been filed and that investigations are ongoing.
Stomp has reached out to Fulfillment TCG Store SG and PawsTCG for comment.
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