Have you ever regret some decisions you made?
Have you even decide without thinking properly?
Have you ever decide against your will?
Or do you feel you've been scam?
I want to share this experience happened to me last April 19, 2017. As an adult, I've been careless on my actions and decisions. I didn't think appropriately before I sign those documents. This might be the greatest lesson I learned so far. Once you're at a mall, there's a lot of sales representative who offer you their product. Most of the times, I don't entertain their advertisements but as for this case, I fell for their trap.
Late afternoon, I'm at SM Manila with my boyfriend (Ivan), her sister, and grandmother. We went there just to have their photos taken for their visa. There's a lot of people at that time and we take a stroll because we're waiting for the picture. That day also, I'll meet the seller of the phone which I'm going to buy since he said that he'll be at SM too. We agreed to meet him around 5 to 5:30 pm, and at that time we find a place to eat first. While waiting for the orders, the seller message us that he's already at the meeting place. I still need to withdraw the money, so me and Ivan go out to find a BPI machine.
We're almost near the entrance because the ATMs are located outside. Suddenly, an agent from Cocolife Insurance interrupts us. It was 5:00pm at that moment. First, I didn't listen to the lady and pulls my boyfriend towards me. Since my boyfriend don't want to be rude, he listened for awhile and that made me give her a minute to talk. He hold one arm of Ivan and pulls us at their location. She told us that we are lucky and might be one of the winners of their raffle promo. A trip abroad. She keeps on praising me and Ivan while asking some questions like "If I have an atm card or credit card?" "If I have a job and how much I earn?" "What kind of job do I have?" Then she gave us a paper to be drawn for the raffle. I thought that was it since it consumes our time already. We're going to leave until she told us that we have a prize. I really don't feel good about it but my boyfriend still follows. The agent told us that the prize is in their office at the top floor. We pass by Greenwich where the family of my boyfriend is waiting. He stop and ask permission.
Once we're in the office, we waited for a few minutes since the agent that will talk to us was still talking to other client. She told us that it will take a few minutes. I disagreed and told her we're in a rush and will be meeting someone. I even told her that we'll just come back after our agenda. She declined and stop us. Questioning us more about personal information to divert our attention. Then the door opened and an agent named Laarni assist us. They only invited me inside and let Ivan stay outside their small lobby. They tried to distract him by asking him and praising him. Laarni started the presentation. I actually don't listen since I'm distracted by the time. I have to meet the seller already. Then Laarni soon present the insurance. She introduce the product but I told her that I'll think about it and start an insurance soon. It took so long! I observe that some topics are repeatedly discussed and when she see that I'm already in my grumpy face, she told me to keep on smiling because "their cctv might see their clients sad." WHAT FOR?
She let me sign some papers which she failed to introduced that it's already an authorization to charge form. She only tells me what to write and that she'll fill up the other spaces afterwards. She gave me again small paper forms, I called my boyfriend to help me write but they insist to let him enter the room. I keep on standing and head to the lobby but they stop me and push me to my seat. I really want to finish this thing so I just follow what they told me.
Then the branch manager entered the room with a bdo card machine on hand, (sorry I don't know what that thing called) and ask for my card to be swipe so that the transaction will be finished. I don't want to give my atm then I ask them some question if I still can use my money and won't be removed at my bank. They told me I still can use it and will still be at my card. I still don't want to let them swipe my card so I stand up to call my boyfriend. But the manager Mrs.Natural hold my shoulders and let me seat. At that moment, I don't know what I'm doing and suddenly agreed to let my card be swiped off. You know the feeling of being hypnotized? They swipe it twice. They got 10000 and the other is 6000. After the transaction, they're already in a rush to finish the presentation. You can see the difference towards their action before and after they got the money.They give me the papers I signed but not the policy. Since they told me I'll get that once my papers are approved by their head. They keep on praising and giving me a hand to congratulate me.
It was 6:30pm when we exit their office and immediately head to the bpi machine. I want to cry at that moment. Then I checked my balance until I found out that they literally get the 16,000 php from my card. I withdraw the money needed for the seller. We meet him first to get the phone and return to the office.
Luckily they're still open around 7:00 pm. I return to talk to Laarni and told her that I want to cancel the policy. She told me I can't do that, If she only ave the money in her hands she might return it. Then told me that it will be difficult for me to cancel he policy since it's already transferred into their account. I will need approvals from the head before I can get the money. She even warn me that there's no guarantee that I can claim a full refund. Instead she offered me a downgrade so I can claim 12000 php from my money which will take 30-45 days. I agreed since I really want to take the money fast as I can.
After that I told my friends about that. They told me that they also know someone who was "SCAMMED" by the Cocolife Insurance and didn't get the money back. I'm so stress at that moment so I ask for help. Luckily one of my friend got a family lawyer. I told my situation and told me what to do.
These are the documents that they will let you sign if you'll have a transaction with them:
Upper form:
The debit form for the FSP (Future Saving Plan) where they got 10,555.86 php from me.
Lower form:
Confirmation and receipt from the BDO machine.
The debit form for the GPA plan where they got 6,000 php
The confirmation of the transaction where the agents will indicate and won't let you have time to read the whole paper.
Is this the prize they told us? They will give this to you after the transaction.
So I post this for everyone to be aware and be extra careful when it comes to money and signing documents. Please be wise enough to fall for this kind of situation. I know I became clumsy on my part but this experience taught me. Insurance aren't bad after all but please make sure that you know where to trust your funds. And for the Cocolife Company train your agents well and change your tactics. Your techniques on inviting people to avail your product is like a scam. Don't push people and let them decline and leave if they want to.
Next post will be the steps on how to refund the money.
