Beware! It's really a scam!

I have received an email containing the following message a few days ago. It is ver similar to what I have received and disregarded years ago. What struck me to actually blog about this is... I received THAT phone call yesterday. It was an automated voice and the amount is exactly as stated in the email that I read: RM4,982. I simply hung up because I have just read that email a few days ago.

Imagine... if I hadn't received or read that email... could I have been a victim?? The simple thought of it is scary enough...

And, yes, the number that called was +601300808888. My hubby got a call from the same number on the same day, too. Only he didn't pick it up. It's his habit not to take any calls from unknown party. Since his line is a sub from mine... we are wondering if this has got anything to do with the telco we are attached to??

Anyway, please read and beware!

"Dear friends,

I have been cheated recently. So I would like to share my experience with you all on how the tactic they use. You can forward this to your friends so they will know about it

1) On Saturday, I receive a phone call from AMBank, a system playback message announce that "You have outstanding balance of RM4,982 for the AMBank credit card, kindly make the payment asap. For customer service, please press 1"(This is the first step, they make you angry. When you angry, you lost your mind)

2) Since I do not have credit card service with AM Bank, I press 1 to talk to the customer service. And after providing my name and IC number, the customer service told me that there is a credit card under my name. I respond that I did not applied it before. The customer service say is it possible that people stole your info and make a credit card from it. She suggest me to call the Bank Negara - Pusat Pengurusan Kad Palsu to make a report so that they will investigate on it. Since it is Sunday, she suggest I make the phone call on Monday and provide me a phone number 03-8659 0241.(This is a fake number, Bank Negara do not have such department. Bank negara number is 03-2698-8044 )

3) On Monday morning, I make a phone call to the given number, I can hear the announcement "Terima Kasih kerana menhubungi Bank Negara..." After that I talk to a guy that speak in Malay. He call me back later with the same callerID, and start to ask my detail of complain. He also keep on telling me that if what I say is not true, I will be caught by police and jail. He then ask for all my credit card detail, have I ever use credit card on ATM, my ATM card and the balance. He also told me not to expose the report detail to my friends as it may affected the investigation result. After that he give me a report number and mentioned that a colleague from other department will help me to secure all my bank accounts.(They do this step to make you believe that they are true, so that you will corporate with them)

4) After a while, I receive a phone call from a girl, she told me that they have suspend all my bank accounts now. But the ATM card they cannot do it remotely, hence she want me to go to the ATM machine, and key in some special "PIN" to stop the card. After I reach the ATM, she call me and told me that later what I see on screen is not the true info. I just need to key in the PIN given by her. So I just follow the step and key in everything. She then ask me to destroy the transaction slip and throw it away. Then told me within 3 days cannot use my ATM cards and other bank accounts.(Key in the "PIN" at ATM is fake also, those PIN is actually somebody account number and the amount to be transfer.)

My suggestion
Always call back to the Bank to verify, are you really have that credit card?Bank always have a tollfree number, including Bank Negara. And you can easily find the real bank number on internet "

Disgusted by babywearing?

Nothing discourages me to promote babywearing more than the look of disgust on people's faces at the mention of carrying their babies. We are talking about people who feel babies shall be 'trained' from 'young' to be independent. We are talking about people who feel like carrying their babies will only result in clingy babies... How and what can we do in these situations other than to just keep the babywearing love to ourselves and queitly hope in our hearts that it will make sense to them one day, hopefully in time, that loving their baby (and, carrying them) does not mean spoiling them and certainly will not result in clingy babies.

Looking at my own almost-3 Arthur, he is much more confident than many kids his age. Indeed, he is much more independent and confident than his school-going cousins. Having worn him EVERYDAY since he was 10 months old til the time he found his legs at 18 months, Arthur was never really a clingy boy.

Indeed, ask anyone who knows him (well or not), you can find that he is very sociable and well, shall I say, entertaining, at times ;)

Before you feel disgusted at the thought of babywearing or even breastfeeding, think again... wouldn't you feel more confortable, happy and more trustworthy shall you have someone hold you close when you needed a hug? Would you really prefer to cry by yourself, in a corner of the room, so you can train yourself up to be more self-dependent?

Bear in mind, what you are 'training' your child today goes a long way. How are you 'training' them to be independent? If it is through encouragement that they should suppress their feelings and not show it... how else do they take care of stress? The world is, after all, getting more stressful by the day and before you know it, Stress Management could very well be a pre-school subject one day.

Children learn what they live

If children live with criticism,
They learn to condemn...
If children live with hostility,
They learn to fight...
If children live with ridicule,
They learn to be shy...
If children live with shame,
They learn to feel guilty...
If children live with tolerance,
They learn to be patient...
If children live with encouragement,
They learn to be confident...
If children live with praise,
They learn to appreciate...
If children live with fairness,
They learn justice...
If children live with security,
They learn to have faith...
If children live with approval,
They learn to like themselves...
If children live with acceptance and friendship,
They learn to find love in the world...

~Dorothy Law Nolte

Glitter Ball

This is my favourite playgroup project thus far. Thanks to Debz who shared this idea with us. Brought back memories on how I used to play with glue on my hands as a kid... kind of messy but lots of fun ;)

Supplies required...

1. Balloon

2. Glitter, paper scraps, thread, ribbons etc. (anything you want to stick on it as embellishment. what you see on the one above is ribbons and glitter from Tesco-party confetti)

3. Glue (we used the glue from Tesco... paper glue that's white in colour sold in a bottle with a scrapper)

4. Scissors (to cut the threads etc.)

The way to do it...

1. Inflate balloon to about the size of your palm. You can certainly have a bigger balloon but I'd suggest you start with a small one first to see if you like the result before proceeding with a larger project. Especially if you are doing it with kids, you might want a even smaller balloon ;)

2.Tie balloon up

3. Spread glue all over balloon. You can also choose to do it in parts if you are afraid the glue will dry up too soon.

4. Stick glitter, ribbons etc. (and whatever else you have) all over balloon

5. Add strings all around for a proper structure

6. Tie a piece of string to the knot (this is for you to hold your masterpiece)

7. Hang it dry

8. Deflate the balloon by poking a pin into it

9. The balloon will shrink but the dried up glue stays with all the embellishments and...

10. Voila! You've got yourself a transparent glitter ball!

Now, start peeling the glue off your little one's hands ;)

FREE sessions at Fit for 2, Bangsar Village, KL

Bumps, Mums and Muffins - a weekly informal chat over FREE ginger tea and snacks. We will line up guest speakers (ranging on topics on breast feeding to bathing baby) as well as birth stories from other mums and of course along with all this comes a healthy dose of friendship and fun! You can call Fit For 2 to find out who our upcoming speaker will be! Every Friday 1130am, Fit For 2 Cafe

Fit For 2 Workshop – held on the first Saturday of every month at 1130am, a practical workshop to introduce both parents to a happy, fit and safe pregnancy and new mummy period. Also a time for questions and discussions. Please call to make reservation as spaces are limited, Fit For 2 Studio.

Contact:

Fit For Two Fitness Services

Lot 3F-1B, Third Floor, Bangsar Village II2 Jalan Telawi 159100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03 - 2287 5001Fax: 03 - 2287 5002

E-mail: mariani@fitfor2.com.myHomepage: www.fitfor2.com.my

Rocket fuel chemical in baby formula

Not long ago, it was melamine. Now, rocket fuel chemical?? What's next??

I have been out visiting new Moms for the past month on breastfeeding and babywearing. 3 out of 5 are determined to make breastfeeding work. 2 just does not have the confidence that they can supply enough for their little ones. 1 out of the 3 determined Moms feels the 'need' to supplement breastmilk with formula...

Not a very happy looking statistic with only 2 out of 5 being able to breastfeed exclusively.

Look at this, read the news... Melamine...BPA... how much can a baby take??!