In a startling incident that has raised eyebrows in Singapore, a woman was inadvertently charged S$7.99 after scanning what was advertised as a QR code for a free serving of fries or a Vanilla Twirl cup at a Jollibee outlet in Waterway Point. The incident was brought to light by her husband, Andy Quek, through a post on the Facebook group Complaint Singapore on November 8.

The QR code was part of a promotional standee inviting customers to "share your experience" in exchange for what they believed would be a complimentary treat. However, the experience quickly turned sour for Mrs. Quek when she received an unexpected SMS after scanning the code, informing her of a subscription to "Next Battle" via SingTel carrier billing—essentially a service that she did not intend to enroll in.

Despite swiftly canceling the subscription, the couple was shocked to find a charge of S$7.99 on their upcoming bill from SingTel on November 7. Frustrated, Mr. Quek publicly questioned Jollibee's practices, posting, "Jollibee Singapore, is this your way of scamming people?"

Since the incident, Mr. Quek has stated that he reached out to Jollibee through their social media pages, confirming that he plans to file a police report over the incident. In an update, Jollibee responded, indicating they were conducting a "thorough investigation" and promised to get back to him by the following Monday.

In another development, Mr. Quek after some back and forth purportedly received assurance from SingTel that they would waive the charge. However, he insisted on pursuing Jollibee further on the matter, as he felt it was unethical for the telecommunications company to absorb the cost while the "scam" would remain financially intact.

Further updates revealed that Jollibee has since committed to refunding the S$7.99 charge. They also indicated that the police have initiated their investigation into the QR code controversy. Mr. Quek's police report highlighted that the QR code appeared legitimate and was displayed prominently in a reputable fast-food chain without any warnings about additional charges.

The incident has sparked speculation online, with some commentators suggesting that a fraudulent QR code may have been placed over the Jollibee promotional one—an unfortunate but not unheard-of occurrence in various consumer settings.

As Jollibee investigates, it raises vital questions about consumer protection and the security of promotional campaigns that rely heavily on QR codes. This case serves as a cautionary tale for customers everywhere: always scrutinize QR codes and be wary of the potential hidden charges that could lie behind seemingly innocent offers.

Stay tuned as we delve deeper into this story and uncover what Jollibee's investigation reveals, along with the steps they might take to ensure this does not happen again!