A hawker stall called Muhammad Shazain Faiha Muslim Food Paradise at Tiong Bahru Market was contacted by someone claiming to be an SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) representative who placed a large order for 150 packets of chicken and mutton biryani. The scammer told the hawker he couldn’t provide a deposit because “the military is a government agency and therefore cannot provide a deposit.”
The hawker, believing he was serving soldiers, even gave a discount and increased the portion sizes of meat and rice in each packet. He also prepared bottles of mineral water as requested. When nobody showed up to collect the order, the hawker realized he’d been scammed.
Fortunately, there was a positive outcome to this story. The hawker posted on Facebook asking people to buy the prepared food at a special price to avoid waste. Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang helped by calling on residents to purchase the biryani, and all 150 packets were eventually sold. Some were even distributed to residents in nearby rental flats and donated to workers and people in need.
The Ministry of Defence investigated and confirmed that they found no evidence these individuals were affiliated with the SAF. They urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to the police.
This case highlights how scammers exploit people’s trust and goodwill, particularly when they impersonate government agencies. It’s a reminder for businesses to verify large orders, especially when deposits are refused with official-sounding explanations.
The Biryani That United a Community
Uncle Rahman wiped his hands on his apron and looked at the phone with a mixture of pride and excitement. Thirty years he’d been serving biryani at his corner stall in the bustling market, but this was the biggest order he’d ever received.
“One hundred and fifty packets?” he repeated into the phone, just to be sure.
“Yes, Uncle,” the crisp voice on the other end confirmed. “Our boys have been training hard. They deserve something special.”
The man had introduced himself as Sergeant Lee from the Singapore Armed Forces. He spoke with authority, used military terms that sounded authentic, and even knew specific details about recent training exercises that Uncle Rahman had heard about on the news.
“I wish I could put down a deposit, but you know how it is with government agencies,” Sergeant Lee explained apologetically. “We can’t make advance payments. But don’t worry, we’ll collect everything at 2 PM sharp tomorrow.”
Uncle Rahman felt a swell of patriotism. His own son had served his National Service years ago. These young men protecting Singapore deserved the best he could offer.
“For our soldiers, I give you special price,” Uncle Rahman said warmly. “And extra meat, extra rice. They need strength.”
That evening, Uncle Rahman worked late into the night with his wife, Auntie Siti, preparing the massive order. They bought the finest basmati rice, the tenderest cuts of chicken and mutton, and ground their spices fresh. The fragrant aroma of star anise, cardamom, and saffron filled their small flat above the stall.
“Rahman, are you sure about this?” Auntie Siti asked as they packed the last of the 150 containers at dawn. “It’s so much money tied up in ingredients.”
“These are our boys, Siti. Our son could be among them one day if he decides to sign on. We do this for Singapore.”
By noon the next day, Uncle Rahman had arranged all 150 packets in neat rows, along with bottles of mineral water. The stall looked like a small fortress of food containers. Other hawkers stopped by to admire the impressive display.
“Wah, Uncle Rahman, business very good today!” called out Auntie Mei from the laksa stall.
Two o’clock came and went. Then three o’clock. Uncle Rahman’s calls to the number went unanswered. By four o’clock, the terrible truth began to sink in.
“Scammed,” he whispered to his wife, the word tasting bitter in his mouth. Not just the money lost, but the betrayal of his trust, his patriotism, his genuine desire to serve those who served Singapore.
Auntie Siti put her arm around her husband’s shoulders as he stared at the mountain of biryani. “What do we do now? We can’t waste all this food.”
That’s when Uncle Rahman remembered his son’s advice about social media. With trembling fingers, he composed a Facebook post, his heart heavy but his words honest:
“Friends, I am Uncle Rahman from Shazain Faiha Muslim Food Paradise. Today I was cheated by someone pretending to be from SAF. I have 150 packets of biryani ready, made with love for our soldiers. Rather than waste, I sell at cost price. Please help an old man who just wanted to serve our boys in green.”
Within an hour, his post had been shared dozens of times. The first customer arrived at 5 PM – a young mother with two children.
“Uncle, I take five packets. My husband is in the army. When I read your story, my heart pain for you.”
Then came Mr. Lim, a retiree who bought ten packets to distribute to the construction workers at a nearby site. A group of office workers pooled their money together for twenty packets. A taxi driver bought five and insisted on paying full price.
“Uncle, you got good heart. Don’t let bad people spoil it.”
Word spread through the neighborhood like wildfire. MP Foo arrived with his assistant, rolled up his sleeves, and helped distribute packets to the queue that had formed. Local residents brought their elderly neighbors. Teenagers bought packets for their domestic helpers.
The most touching moment came when an actual SAF regular, still in uniform after his duty, approached the stall.
“Uncle, I heard what happened. This is not how we do things in the army. We always pay upfront, always show proper identification. I’m sorry someone used our name to cheat you.”
He bought twenty packets and arranged for them to be delivered to a nearby old folks’ home.
By 8 PM, every single packet was sold. But more than that – the community had come together in a way Uncle Rahman had never seen before. People who had never spoken to each other were chatting in the queue. Children learned about kindness from their parents. Neighbors checked on elderly residents.
As Uncle Rahman and Auntie Siti cleaned up their stall that evening, exhausted but overwhelmed by the day’s events, a young man approached. He wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, but something about his bearing seemed familiar.
“Uncle Rahman? I’m actually Lieutenant Wong from the 3rd Battalion. I saw your post. We’d like to place a proper order – smaller this time, maybe 30 packets for our company dinner next week. With advance payment, proper documentation, everything official.”
Uncle Rahman’s eyes filled with tears. “You sure you’re real soldier?”
Lieutenant Wong smiled and handed over his military identification card and an official letter on Ministry of Defense letterhead. “Very real, Uncle. And we heard your biryani is the best in Singapore.”
A month later, Uncle Rahman’s stall had become famous throughout the island. People came not just for the biryani, but for the story. Tour guides brought visitors to meet “the Uncle who fed Singapore with love.” Food bloggers wrote about “the biryani that brought a community together.”
But Uncle Rahman kept a simple handwritten sign by his stall: “Trust is precious. Handle with care. Made fresh daily with ingredients from the heart.”
The scammer had tried to steal his money, but instead had given him something more valuable – the knowledge that Singapore was full of good people who looked out for one another. In trying to exploit kindness, the fraudster had inadvertently proven that kindness was stronger than any scam.
And every evening, as Uncle Rahman closed his stall, he would look at that sign and smile. Tomorrow he would cook again, serve again, trust again. Because that’s what made Singapore home.
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