Can you help? PichaEats announces emergency sale of meals for 500 people today after falling for sham ‘UM’ order
KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — Social enterprise and catering company PichaEats is asking Malaysians to help it save meals its refugee chefs prepared from going to waste after an order for a 500-person event turned out to be fake.
Taking to Instagram, PichaEats said it received a scam order from “Universiti Malaya” last Wednesday for a 500-pax event that was supposed to take place later today after another vendor supposedly pulled out at the last minute.
It shared a picture of the order that also bore the Higher Education Ministry letterhead.
“We signed all the documents and proceeded with the order.
“Long story short, it is a scam/prank. There is actually NO event or order and the documents are forged,” it said in its Instagram post.
PichaEats is asking Malaysians to help it save meals from going to waste after an order for a 500-person event turned out to be fake. ― Picture via Instagram/ PichaEats
PichaEats said it later found out that another catering company underwent a similar experience with a catering order from “Universiti Malaya”, resulting in significant financial losses.
Subsequent to the sham order, PichaEats said a total of 15 Picha Chefs — mostly refugees form the Middle East — were badly affected as ingredients for 500 people have been purchased prior for the preparation of meals.
It added a police report was in the midst of being filed and the official Universiti Malaya notified of the name misuse by irresponsible parties.
Subsequent to the sham order, PichaEats said a total of 15 Picha Chefs — mostly refugees form the Middle East — were badly affected as ingredients for 500 people have been purchased prior for the preparation of meals. — Picture via Instagram/ PichaEats
As for the prepared meals, PichaEats said whosoever needed food or donated to communities in need were welcomed to get in touch with them by direct messaging or through its hotline at 012-6794353.
Malay Mail has reached out to PichaEats co-founder Suzanne Ling and Universiti Malaya for comment.
