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TAKTIK PEMASARAN AGRESIF DI PUSAT KESIHATAN DAN KECANTIKAN: APA YANG PENGGUNA PERLU TAHU

Details: Category: Isu SCAM; Hits: 11

Peningkatan penggunaan Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) dan pelan ansuran telah mengubah cara pengguna mendapatkan perkhidmatan kecantikan dan penjagaan diri. Walaupun sistem ini kelihatan lebih fleksibel dan mampu milik, ia turut menimbulkan kebimbangan berkaitan taktik jualan agresif, psikologi pengguna, serta komitmen kewangan jangka panjang.

Dalam sesetengah pusat perniagaan kesihatan dan kecantikan, strategi jualan sering direka untuk mewujudkan perasaan terdesak melalui tawaran masa terhad, pakej eksklusif dan sesi konsultasi yang meyakinkan. Pengguna kadangkala berasa tertekan untuk membuat keputusan dalam masa yang singkat walaupun pada awalnya masih ragu-ragu. Tekanan ini biasanya berlaku secara halus melalui mesej seperti “tawaran sekali seumur hidup” atau amaran bahawa mereka akan kehilangan manfaat jika tidak mengambil pakej tersebut. Ini boleh menjejaskan keupayaan pengguna untuk membuat keputusan yang benar-benar bermaklumat.

AGGRESSIVE SALES IN WELLNESS AND BEAUTY CENTRE: WHAT CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW

Details: Category: Isu SCAM; Hits: 10

The growing popularity of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) schemes and instalment-based payment options has changed how consumers access beauty and personal care services. While these payment models appear to offer flexibility and affordability, they also raise concerns involving aggressive sales tactics, consumer psychology, and long-term financial commitment.

In some beauty and wellness centre, sales strategies are designed to create urgency through time-limited offers, exclusive packages, and persuasive consultations. Consumers may feel pressured to make immediate decisions, even when they initially express hesitation. This pressure is often subtle rather than direct, relying on psychological cues such as claims that a deal is “once in a lifetime” or that missing it means losing valuable benefits. As a result, consumers may not always make fully informed or rational decisions.

Buy Now, Pay Later - Nationwide Tsunami

Details: Category: Isu Kewangan; Hits: 25

Be it ShopeePay Later, Atome, or Grab PayLater; an observing eye could notice that Buy Now, Pay Later (“BNPL”) schemes have steadily gained traction among the younger generation. BNPL schemes provide a form of escapism and a second bite at the cherry for many young people seeking to sustain a particular lifestyle despite financial constraints.

Recently, BNPL schemes have even garnered legislative attention through the passing of the Consumer Credit Bill 2025. During the tabling of the Bill, Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying revealed that BNPL transaction values had surged by more than 30%, increasing from RM7.1 billion in the second half of 2024 to RM9.3 billion in the first half of 2025.

Scams – Focusing on Laws and Technology is not Enough

Details: Category: Isu SCAM; Hits: 17

Scam prevention has long been framed as a technological arms race—better cybersecurity systems, tighter regulations, and stronger laws. While these are undeniably important, they are not sufficient. The uncomfortable truth is that scams persist not merely because of gaps in systems, but because they exploit something far more predictable and universal: human psychology. If we are serious about reducing scam victimisation, we must move beyond a purely institutional response and invest in scam literacy programmes that deeply integrate the psychology of scams to drive real behavioural change.

At its core, a scam is not just a technical deception; it is a psychological manipulation. Scammers do not randomly target vulnerabilities in software alone—they target vulnerabilities in people. Fear, urgency, trust, greed, loneliness, authority, and hope are the real entry points. Whether it is a phone call claiming to be from a bank, a message about a loved one in distress, or an investment promising unusually high returns, the tactics are carefully designed to override rational thinking and trigger emotional responses.

Court holds bank liable for failing to monitor customer’s accounts

Details: Category: Isu Kewangan; Hits: 28

KUALA LUMPUR:

The sessions court here today held that a local bank was liable for negligence in monitoring a customer’s accounts, resulting in RM166,000 in losses from unauthorised transactions.

Judge Maimoonah Aid awarded RM166,000 to Chan Yan Li after allowing her civil claim against Maybank. She also ordered the bank to pay RM15,000 in costs.

Chan filed the suit in 2022 after RM166,000 was transferred out of her loan account through a series of transactions between June and July 2021.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/05/12/court-holds-bank-liable-for-failing-to-monitor-customers-accounts

Thought impact: Building consumer resilience together

Details: Category: Berita Pengguna; Hits: 0

FOR decades, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) has been at the forefront of advocating for fairer markets and stronger consumer protections, consistently raising concerns over issues ranging from unsafe products to rising living costs and household financial pressures.

And along that journey, it has worked closely with the county’s media, including The Star.

Addressing Medical Inflation in Malaysia

Details: Category: Berita Pengguna; Hits: 0

The reported 40% to 70% increase in medical insurance premiums has caused an uproar amongst Malaysian consumers. Many had taken private insurance to bypass the public healthcare system with its long waiting periods and frequently overburdened systems. They had expected that their insurance premiums would allow them fair access to the private healthcare system.

This sharp increase in insurance premiums has for many already struggling with stagnant incomes and higher living costs led to consumers giving up on their policies. It has been reported that between January 2024 and June 2025 more than 340,000 consumers had chosen to forgo their health insurance due to substantial premium increases by insurance companies.

PRESS RELEASE: MOH’S PROPOSED PATENT LINKAGE GUIDELINE RISKS HIGHER MEDICINE PRICES AND DELAYED ACCESS

Details: Category: Berita Pengguna; Hits: 0

Malaysia stands at a critical juncture in ensuring access to affordable medicines. The government’s decision to cut the health budget by RM3.06 billion, together with a proposed move by the Ministry of Health, risks worsening the situation.

In April, the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) opened a public consultation on its proposed ‘Guideline on Implementation of Patent Linkage for Pharmaceutical Products in Malaysia’, presented as fulfilling an obligation under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Although framed as procedural, the guideline’s implications run far deeper and threatens timely generic entry, medicine affordability and public health.

PRESS RELEASE: ON THE PROPOSED GUIDELINES ON IMPLEMENTATION OF PATENT LINKAGE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS IN MALAYSIA

Details: Category: Berita Pengguna; Hits: 0

Malaysia is facing a growing healthcare affordability crisis. Rising out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure, coupled with the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, is placing a significant financial strain on consumers. The proposed Patent Linkage Guidelines risk delaying access to affordable generic medicines, thereby worsening medicine affordability and consumer welfare.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO CONSUMERS

Medicine prices in Malaysia have consistently increased over time, with no clear evidence of price reductions. At the same time, capacity constraints in public healthcare are pushing more consumers toward higher-cost private care. As a result, many households especially those in the B40 and M40 groups are facing significant out-of-pocket expenses. Additionally, the lack of timely availability of generic alternatives means that high prices persist longer, limiting access to necessary treatment. Higher prices lead to delayed or skipped treatment, as many consumers are unable to afford the medicines they need. This, in turn, contributes to financial hardship, especially for lower- and middle-income households. Ultimately, these challenges result in poorer health outcomes due to lack of timely and adequate care.

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