“I invested 650,000 rupees and I was supposed to get my first payment today,” a dazed victim Mohammed Imran said.
“I am not in a mood to talk anymore.”
The company which claimed to offer internet based data entry work for a monthly payment first asked people who joined the scheme, to make a deposit of 6,500 rupees to purchase what was called a ‘slot’.
After 45 days the firm promised to make a payment of 4,500 rupees every month, provided some data was entered into a website.
The operators claimed it was a BPO operation. The firm had offices in several locations including Mount Lavinia.
Two Indian nationals who were king pins of the scheme are now believed to have fled the country.
A Ponzi is a variation of a pyramid scam where the people who joined first is rewarded with the money taken from those who join later.
They are named after Charles Ponzi an Italian immigrant in the United States who offered high returns for investing in a business which in traded postal coupons.
Sri Lanka’s central bank recently disbanded a special investigation unit that was investigating financial scams under controversial circumstances.
A top official said urgent investigations into financial scams have been completed and other departments could carry out the remaining work.
This has clearance from the big cats who have all got their cuts.
There will be more of this soon just wait and see.
Cannot give you names cops the cats have said they dont want to be exposed and that those who try to expose them can expect a ride to valhalla in one of those white hi aces piloted by cousine compassion and his boys and no Valkyries for company either.
Just a cold bit of metal in the brain. A truely harsh goodbye.
I can really understand your emotions being upset with your wife and try to throw the arrows on me for taking a manly decision and getting caught to Seagull. It seems your flexibility has been misused and she has done a great damage to your wellbeing by donating your hard earned money without your knowledge. I recommend you to keep those feelings with you without divulging this to me.
From now on I urge you to open up your mind and discuss with your family the real meaning of equal rights and who should be the leader for your family. I am writing this in the position of man with full recognition from my family as a leader.
You have to understand neither Condoliza Rice nor the Albright ever brought happiness or peace to the world being leaders. Believe me, millions of American women too wont choose Hillary Clinton to be the next president either.
Also you got to understand no prophets were sent down to earth in women except men as leaders. Moses, Jesus and Mohammed are great examples. Because women lack the leadership qualities in nature. Now you must have known which planet I have come from.
I have a reason to believe that you are living in a jungle being not able to understand what’s going on in the society where women try taking a role of a husband. Trust me its failure but I have no objection if you want to suffer under a petticoat government..
Its true I got scammed but it is my own decision and I being a man know how to find new avenues for earning. I am not going to commit suicide as another commentator wrote.
Hope you are convinced now you are wrong and strive for leadership.
there is due process and unfortunately that takes time. To take someone and assault them for information is wrong and would do more damage to your case than anything else...
Then again to go around and blame the government/police for your incompetence is also wrong. Besides, its dumbo's like you who saddled us with this moronic government so dont complain...
As other have said before... If its too good to be true it isnt...
Furthermore... I pay my taxes both directly and indirectly... I take offense when morons like you go an dump your money in obvious scams like this.. get screwed an then go crying to the government for redress.. I pay my taxes but not for the government to make handouts to you dumbos...
And lastly i really take offence at Zein for his comment " Having said this, all housewives and children should now realize not to do hanky panky without consulting the leader of the house. " From where the hell did you get the impression that being a man qualifys a person to be considered a leader of a household??? What planet are you from anyhow?
Since you got scammed as well and given your own convoluted logic I think i am right in assuming that you are not the leader in your household and in fact you are a woman. Correct me if i'm wrong
Whats happening to the formed group who has promised to deliver some positive results in approaching the president and Indian High Commission.
I am afraid there could be an influential local partner is on the grip. We are a democratic country and some responsible officers should come forward to unearth the truth behind Seagull affairs. Othereise we are leading nowhere and only wasting our energey just wrting and wasting our precious time.
Any one who invested not knowing its seagull, may go after the agents as those who ran agencies will be personally liable to reimburse the investors, because this is a fraud.
Would like to know the names (Personal) and addresses (office) of these agents to propmote action.
part of murfi law
(first told by lord Buddha)
i lost 97000LKR guys...
The Indian High Commission cannot evade responsibility, especially as this is a crime. If they could make a fuss about a legitimate stock exchgange transaction by a local business magnate in taking over the Apollo Hospital (I have my own opinion about taking over the hospital, but technically, it was a perfectly legal transaction), why can't they do something constructive in helping trace these two bastards who are a shame on India. Surely they could easily catch these two buffoons.
The police calls us fools but they themselves are fools as displayed by their inability to exploit the so many leads which are available to trace the two rogues. Or, is it that they have been paid off temselves so that they would do nothing. Now that is a possibility.
To begin with, let me share my deepest sympathies with all those who lost to Seagull and undergoing mental agony being not able to digest what has happened!
I know some people need healing in a way that they should forget this issue and find a way to strengthen their soul in order not to become sick which may lead to the destruction of the bright future that is ahead.
We all believe that nothing will happen without the knowledge of "GOD" and therefore we must put the issue behind our back calling it a 'fate'. Its not that happened to you and me but to 23,000 people out of which there are intellectuals, doctors, brainy university students and even religious figures.
We can’t anymore waste our time and commit suicide. Therefore let's forget it calling it a "FATE" and see what positive we can do, thus avoiding similar situations occurring in the future. For "GOD's" sake don’t you ever call it a 'fate' again if you don’t understand the definition of "FATE"
Certainly, we won’t let these "saitans" to get away happily since we all know that "in the Indian Ocean they will be near and dear to us".
Please inspire 1% for seagull while putting 99% of your time to your future affairs. Believe me 23000% (the members) time will definitely will lead to their arrest one day if our government too is serious on this issue.
The people whoever invested or donated, whatever people call it........please think, before investing to this project did anybody found out from the government related body on this project?
Some people say, because advertise in the leading news paper, they decided to be part of it.......hey come on do not blame the government and the related institutions.
We Sri Lankans boast about 92% literacy rate, I have my strong doubt. Once u loose something, thats gone, These kind of scams are happening india...........USA.
Therefore, we people should be more vigilant. We Sri Lankans always make the decision and then only worried about.
Mr. Nalaka, I agree with you totally that the future is internet and 40 richest people are made their forutnes from the internet.
Please do not misunderstand the concept and make mistakes. How do you say, we do not get any latest updates, stupid........!
i dont get whats this thing with mr ashfaq? he was my school friend, and hes around 20 years old? do u think he can be pressured against a scam like this, to earn a million rupee deal? anyway i hope They recover the money and pledge on the justice (interpol is USELESS) Some european country lost a painting worth $250,000 and they pledged there full support in trying to get it back, after it being smuggled
Its very easy to catch them, Theres pictures, evidence, and other stuff, they just have to investigate for a couple of months, i guess by then this situation will be all forgotten, Im sad for the people who lost thousands.
Our schools, Universties teachs us to learn and get the certificates.
But as an Island we donot get the latest updates of the world.
so easily we are getting trapped for several scams, fraouds.
Instead of dreaming to become Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers now Sri lankasns can try to become Ecommerce based business consultants.
About Online marketing, Newtwork marketing. direct selling, Ecommerce based Transactionas, Online Investments, so many areas expanding everyday.
Dear friends, the answers are also in the Internet only. Learn from the mistakes. may be the price you have paid to learn this is very high.
But remember,
People do mistakes.
Smart people learn from their mistakes.
Inteligent people learn from other's mistakes.
Please RAISE YOUR SELF TO HELP MANKIND to be Intelegent.
Lets expand the horizons of our knowledge. We are not more Sri Lankans or Indians or americans. Time has come to think as GLOBAL citizens.
Our greatest enimy is within ourselves only. Instead of blaming to other's, to the governments, Police or Central bank or even to the culprits who cheated us.
lets look in to us.
Our real enimies or the culprits are
our Foolishness, our Greedyness, Impatience, Ego, selfishness and many more things.
Lets clear inside ourselves first.
I have come a cross with a very good practise to learn ourselves from a great website.(Its free.)
visit www.inthesphereofsilence.com
try to understand whats in it for you.
Regards,
Nalaka
Before it aggrevate further some responsible authorities look seriously on the issue to help these people out.
Having said this, all housewives and children should now realize not to do hanky panky without consulting the leader of the house.
Now have it and face it because you ask for it. Learn to respect the elders!
So from now onwards all those members who suffered losses...let us go forward....lets research and share knowledge by checking and rechecking on something good...I'm sure there must be 100s out there but no one has even bothered..but now I'm bothered since I have lost and I am pretty sure we can make money without paying money!!!! (Notice make money without paying money by working hard thru' the net) ..There are lot of opportunities out there but unfortunately we people are not geared for it...especially lot of scope for Medical Transcriptionists but we Sri Lankans cannot even think of it because it involves getting certified and learning it...So let us all move forward and contribute things we have found on the net so that all can benefit, check and find out without getting scammed!!!! I hope all of you have got the point...United we stand divided we fall...
No point shouting ourselves hoarse - nothing is going to work as the Govt is lot of other things to worry about and not about us or the scam.
Even Central Bank is in the dark - they are only familiar with the usual straight forward Pyramid schemes.
So lets all voice oursleves in one forum or in one place...remember there is 20,000 - 30,000 voters (maybe get a politician involved to push this forward)....Politicians are interested in votes so maybe we need to make use of them by enlightening there will be 20,000 - 30,000 voters who will be thankful for any action taken by rewarding him in the next election!!!!!!!!!
Lot of things could be done to trace these culprits....I mean underworld characters have been caught by using their mobiles....Surely list of numbers they called whilst they were here for 9 months will definitely lead us to some lead to their whereabouts...They have families and friends just like us....They are not going to enjoy it alone...So best is for someone to push them to track all the outgoing calls from that place (Landline, Mobiles ).all these have been told to CID but how far CID is going to exert pressure is a million dollar guess!!!
Anyway lets move forth.....
Frankly I too want you to call me crazy, because I too like people who provoke me. I was out of country for 29 years and since I arrived in June to settle, I only faced dissappointments from our own people.
If our people are patriotic and honest, today, we didn't have to get cheated by these 2 Indians.
What did our Central Bank, Business Registration Dept, CID, NTB and Police did while our country is threatened by terrorism.
Couldn't anyone open their eyes and ask a question while my 6 year old daughter questioned me the hell of these slots as she was neglected of her rights.
We have appointed our government and pay taxes and now we ask them to protect our rights.
However, for your information a group is formed, authorities and IHC is being approaced.
As you know too many cooks will spoil the soup let the formed group handle the issue and if assistant is sorted let's both of us join them.
Belive me, more than money, it's difficult to forget and absorb that we have been cheated having done a lot of brainy works out this country. Thanks.
I am glad you realize that its very unlikely that anyone is going to get their money back. I can understand your feeling upset.
No one enjoys being ripped off. But if you are serious about revenge then you have got to get your act together.
Form a small group of people who can think, talk and write well in English to laison with the authorities.
Then start by having a discussion with the Indian High Commissioner here in Sri lanka. After that it may be possible to start a dialogue with interpol as well.
And of course you will have to have a chat with the jokers at the central bank too. If you succeed in getting such a group together let me know.
ts true a person wont get the actual cash they invested but at least they will get something.
Its true a person wont get the actual cash they invested but at least they will get something. As far as i know International Police has put a hand on to the case. And it ant easy to get away from them.
So hope for the best, and good lessons for us in going after easy cash! I could have invested at the CSE. HEHE
60% per month profit - truly a sucker born every minute in Lanka.
BTW every week the government runs similar scams where a lots of people contribute to make the government and a few winners very rich, It is called the Lottery.
I agree and doubt that we get our money back but do you want us to forget the issue and leave those cheaters to enjoy the life.
Remember every move that we make will bring agony to their mind. For me, more than recovering my money I want to see them in the prison.
Why not.... you will see they are caught and serious members can even contribute the cost of the operation.
Dont forget that we have a government that has bilateral ties with other countries. It always give and take and I am very optimistic they can be caught if our government is seriious.
Sure we are getting onto normal life but will strive to catch them with or without your help.
Sure the work was easy but it still was work. We did spend time & money on this everyday.
Not only the initial payments for the slots but the cost for working either from an internet cafe or from home everyday. Thousands of People were duped.
That doesn't mean that the fault is with us who wanted to work & earn this way, but the fault lies obviously with the perpetraters of this crime.
The Authorities have a duty to bring these culprits to justice and returning our money to us.
Our government should make an effort to get India's full cooperation in catching these low lives who cheated Sri Lanka.
I really never took any notice. But then lots of my friends had started on this and it seems so...easy to get the cash.
Anyhow....it was a brainy way of taking cash from other ppl. Some ppl I know have taken loans....from banks....etc and invested in the scam.
Few of my friends got "Saved by the bell" due to the lack of registrations books available.
One of them was going to invest another 98000. Anyhow....in my point of view...i think that once the ppl involved in this scam must have all their properties converted to cash and that must be distributed among all affected memebers.
Cheers
saw some expert comments and some really brainy ideas of helping out the victims of this crisis....as per some comments made about the owner of csm i strongly believe that hes a man of his honour n he's the one who steers the movement to get over this missarable scenario....most of you might know wht he has already done and wht he is planing to do....no point argueing about it bcos its all said and done.
lets unite and work to gain what we've lost!!!! he who lost money on seagull may go to www.seagullmembers.com and co-operate with the officials to make this attempts a success!!!!!!! -cheers-
The cause is that we wan't everything instantly just like instant noodles, things just don't work that way, If one tries to aquire wealth in such a manner, He or She will end up burning themselves as well as their loved ones and that is not a good thing at all. One should focus on being virtuos and patient when planing finances.
May I suggest books written by Larry Burkett and Ron Blue for your reading, Such authors give us good food for thought for investing Carefuly.
Please do not move into very high risk investments such as these as it can be utilized by rogue investors to sell off our nation.
You see... some of you try to blame all thsoe who caught to seagull. Do you all thing all those 15 thousand members who lost their money are insane though stupid decsiions were made to purchase the so called slots.
The scenario made all of us to make that stupid decsion. Dont tell that you are smart because you didn't buy. Dont you think that the mighty Amercia was taken by surprise by Al Qaeda.
Instead of critisizing us show your clever ideas (if you are really clever) to catch them. We all will reward you dearly.
Please do not test our emotions as you know we are like beaten dogs.
The guys photographs are available now on the net. They are neither Osama or Nikamolas to hide in Thora Bora. Join us to cath them.
Kalama Sutta:
Do not believe in anything (simply)
because you have heard it.
Do not believe in traditions because they
have been handed down for many generations.
Do not believe in anything because it is
spoken and rumoured by many.
Do not believe in anything (simply) because
it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
But after observation and analysis,
when you find anything that agrees with reason
and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all
then accept it and live up to it.
-Buddha
(Anguttara Nikaya, Vol 1,188-193 P.T.S. Ed.)
If CSM is responsible for more than 35 millions of rupees, what is the Govt of Sri Lanka and police doing? Are they waiting for us to catch the culprit?
I think they should handover this matter completely to the CID cos they are much more efficient than our police.
Going to the police station is like going to hell. They don’t realize that they are being paid from our money, So they should be of service to the public.
There is a saying the man who has the wound knows the pain. So all investors get together and try to catch this man, cos after sometime this will die down and be forgotten.
So guys wake up act fast before it is too late. What action has the Central Bank taken, are they sleeping on this matter.
If facts true SL lost more than 300 billions. (15000 per capita). Pls compare this with the GDP per capita of SL. It is Rs. 35000 per month.
There are countries in the world which economy totally collapsed because of this kind of frauds.
So we have to act like a strong nation.
I am not a victim. But I am a university student. I feel very sorry about this matter. Because most of the victims are Uni. Students and schooling students who done this BPO to cover their educational expenses.
May the CID take immediate action and the government of Sri Lanka must take necessary steps to catch this bafoons.... I have no word in expressin ma sorrowness coz am affected much on this seagull scam :-(
I am a guy in the BPO industry and at the first notice figured out there was something not right. There are a lot of smart people in the field who will make a quick buck and vanish without a trace. All though this is new to you its common in the industry!
The way to avoid this is also simple use your god dam brains!!! Do a referral check before you jump in. did any one do this!! Did you find out how this operates in so called other countries? And most of all did you check if the client you deal with is directly connected and represents the original company???? Think about the websites that ask for credit card details… some can have a false web address and get your details and rip you off!!
Thin about the job they gave you and the work load you got!!!!! Real BPO is good easy money but not this easy!!
Just coping files to a Excel (not licensed!!-totally against policy) can get you so rich!!! There are data entry jobs but there is a way to do it! I told a lot of people not join and its not real BPO, but they didn’t listen just like you guys!!! And I knew I knew its just a matter of time!!!
These people are smart!! Just like EMRON story in US!! It’s your fault, this is what you pay for being stupid and not doing your home work.
Some state about taking advantage of our culture since we trust people and so on….
Gold quest incident?(different scenario but you can learn your basic!!) and the “ thoppi welenda’s story”
It’s your fault, this is what you pay for being stupid and not doing your home work—think about it!!!
Sudath41
Why do we just allow those Indians to get out of this. We have at lea1st 15,000 investors, why don't we highlight this in the papers as well as on all the medias.
Surly the Government and the Central Bank is fully responsible for this. If one of our poor person did not pay his tax or credit cards they will put it on the crib and all institutions will be informed.
This is a big fraud and half the economy of the country is gone. The question here is on what criteria did Nations Trust open an account.
What is the CID doing about it, cant they arrest the Manager, the staff, and the director suppiah, I am sure if they are given a good treatment (You know what i mean) they will come out with the whole story. That is the only way they could get the truth out.
This Ashfaq fellow is a cunning fox he will know the in and out cos, we was working at Seagullsoftwares from the insception. When he saw that people was investing in big amounts he quickely opened an office. So dont let Ashfaq vanish. He is the man who can give the whereabouts of these Indians. Don't believe him go for him before it is too late.
So many people have lost their money, they don't know how to get it and from whom to get it, bcos every one has been sucked up.
People are having sleepless nights, like one of the comments, they have invested in computers, made so many plans, and everything is shattered, poor guys/gals.
Inform all the banks to keep a strict check, do it on a professional line. Inform the Airport Authorities, get that AD detail from the Sunday Observor. Do these man without fighting your own blood. Get together, join hands, then the strength is much much more. Do it this minute.
As Ashantha, if the Sri Lanka police is not doing something constructive it's not a surprise as it is Sri Lanka Police.
If anyhow they had some mother company in India only way to find is thru the commerce chamber of the Embassy which I should tell you is a very much passive work place.
On investigating I found out that Suppiah Pillai Wijekumar is the Sri Lankan Agent and the other Dominic, and Rajkumar are South Indians. Get the Indian High Commission involved, bcos it is their duty to look into this matter.
I read the papers, and the Indian HC says they did not know anyhting about it. At least they know about it now.
I hear Ashfaq is in hiding bcos some investors have threatened to kill him. If he dies we get the money, is it?
I hear he too has invested and has introduced his relatives and all of them are at his house.
His uncle is remanded. Now there is no time to pacify people or molly coddle anybody but, to get together and take the next step.
Nations Trust cannot say Customer Nonsense and keep quiet, this is a fraud going into millions and poor Sri Lankans are affected, I hear some students have used their money kept for their education, please use your head and take appropriate steps to recover all our monies.
I myself have taken ten slots. Be united at this point.
Killing or taking drastic measures will not take us anywhere, one investor who was also a promoter has been branded as a partner itseems and now his name has been cleared, some guys office has been ransacked and looted, I think it is the same Ashfaq fellows.
Anyway do the proper thing without adding insult to injury.
One of my friend's father has invested 3000x5000= Rs. 15000000/- (He is a doctor as well). And I tried to find some useful information about the story.
Where, More than 25,000 members have joined recently, everyone has purchased 20 slots on an average.
There are members who have purchased 200, 300, 500 slots.
Also to upload the works via internet they have heavily invested on computers & assigned people to perform the task on a monthly salary basis.
If you calculate the entire loss to the nation its more than 300 billion rupees.
No one knows the exact loss or the money taken away from SL.
What our officials were doing?
This too is like that. So many experts running down fellow Sri Lankans who were duped by the Seagull bastards.
There are so many genuine BPO operations like the one Seagull ran -except for the fact that the latter was a scam of course - around the world. Unfortunately, Seagull turned out to be a scam.
Just because there are quack doctors, do you say that one should not patronise any doctor ? Do you call a person who went to a quack doctor a fool ? If you do, YOU are the fool !
I, for one, called Central Bank and told an officer about the Seagull operation. He was supposed to be 'in the know' about financial scams and advise people on same. He did not know anything about this and could not give me any advice. That was before I bought 5 slots.
Funnily, I read in the press that the Financial Fraud Division (or something that sounds like that) of the Central Bank is going to look into this now.
Also, Nations Trust Bank was working in 'hand-in-glove' fashion with Seagull on this, to the extent of stationing their officers at the Seagull office to open accounts for people who purchased slots, so that payments for their work could be credited to such accounts. Nations Trust Bank offered a special savings account scheme for slot holders, to open accounts with a very nominal deposit. So the Bank's involvement too lent this operation much credibility.
Of course there were some factors which could make one suspicious. For instance, one having to pay Rs. 6,500/- to buy a slot. One could also have argued that Seagull needed to maintain / upgrade their computer / network facilities to accommodate more workers and their charging 6,500/- was justified in that sense (if they were a genuine operation, that was), especially as they were going to pay back a fair sum too, for 15 months. Anyway, most of these suspicisions were diminished by the involvement of a major commercial bank in the whole operation.
When I went to the Seagull site where a Police Car was parked, an idiotic policeman there told me that we should have known better. When I went to the Mt. Lavinia Police station to lodge a complaint too, a big shot cop there came into the room where several slot holders were gathered, and blurted out that we were fools.
I am wondering if these buffoons too had been on the payroll of the Seagull scamsters, for their protection. The police at Mt. Lavinia did not give me the impression that they were going to do anything constructive about this.
Also, the work was also not as easy as most here comment. The Internet access available to most being slow, and the given URLs not working sometimes etc. made one spend as much as 2 hours per day, for 5 slots of work.
Also the Rs. 4,000/- payment p.m for 15 months was not really a 'return' on the initial payment of Rs. 6,500/- to Seagull; rather it (the Rs. 4,000/-) payment was for work carried out by the slot holder. Also, the workers had to incur telephone / Internet costs and electricity costs. Some had to tie up money buying computers too.
So one cannot call this a scheme which promised a 'high return' (as in 4,000 * 15 for 6,500) to gullible 'investors'. The workers were not really investors; they were merely sub-contract workers.
And people are also making smart comments about this being yet another 'pyramid' scam. Please check up the definition of a pyramid scheme before you make such comments.
The point I am trying to make is, when people are in trouble, don't just try to be smart, making expert comments.
If you cannot contribute any ideas to help the concerned people, just leave them and the websites opened to help them alone; leave this to us and we'll do what it takes to help ourselves.
They created a chain reaction thus making comuter vendors rich, the PTT - to re plan to meet more ADSL demands, Internet Cafe Orners for expansion and now the police and CID to work with 15,000 complains where these officers have other jobs to deal with.
Can we allow those two Indian and their SriLankan partners to escape for taking our precious time and wealth just in 10 months. If we have a wil, l there is a way to trace them.
Before we trace an outsider, let's ask questions about the accompolish of Lankan origin who will have all answers on this master plan.
I just got off the phone with 2 of my cousins in New Jersey and New Zealand. I guess you can call this an international intervention. The conversation was about one of our nephews wanting to sign up for some kind of super-duper money making machine.
http://www.seagullsoftwares.com/ Softwares? Hmm that can’t be good. Here’s what I think.
I checked out this web site and it looks like its been slapped together over a weekend and most of the links don’t work.
Don’t sign up for easy money making schemes! They don’t work!
We are supposed to be a educated nation. So think. What kind of business model has to charge its employees to do a business?
If you have to pay before you get paid there is something seriously wrong with it!
This is targeted at our culture of of trusting our friends and not looking at the facts. So when a friend introduces this to you, you don’t look at the facts you just take your friend’s word for it.
Of course the first set of so called friends will get paid and you might even get paid partially before things start to get fishy. That is the bait when a few get paid they promote it.
Also hasn’t this happened before? Don’t these people learn?
If you know anyone who is sensible enough to ask your advice, please be kind enough to set them straight.
The highest in the land including politicians make use of their services.
Abraham Kovoor challenged these charlatans - but he is no more.
To gather all the members and make a
community.
http://www.seagullm embers.com
Objective:
To safe guard the rights of the people who have invested their money.
What are your rights??
i To get back the invested money
ii To get the monthly salary
To get compensation
To ensure that in the future the Government will take steps to safe guard the people from these kind of
organizations
Advantage:
To gather all the members and make a
community.
For More details pl contact Mr. Aruna. - 077-3283644
* First meeting will be held on 30th of October 2006 (9.30 - 10am) Near the Seagullsoftwares (Pvt) Ltd.
I am very optimistic that our government will takle the issue on diplomatic level with Indian government since these cheaters photograhps and airport records are avaialbe to trace.
It is not easy money that has been lost where our country need hard earned foreign currency at this time of trouble.
All those who lost the total livelihood to those unscrupulous Indian and Lankan elements wont rest in peace until they are brought to justice.
We have to learn lessons from this point and people should be vigilent and focus on hard work instead of falling prey to easy money making scams.
Is it true that this had been going on there?If anyone knows, pl.let me know.
Reputed papers in Srilanka has advertised this seagull dupe , and how will the readers trust these paper ads in future. And how did they register as a company in S.L. Don't the authorities verify b4 doing so?
And the socalled agents of this dupeseagull, have got rs.300 or 350 per slot, and they have already earned a lot out of this. So din't they have a heart or head to verify first, b4 donating all these people's money? Or aren't they bothered coz they've got their share?
In my view, they should return the money what they got as commission to the people who trusted them, keeping some for what they've spent already.....
More than the money we lost, i think it's the feeling of being cheated.....
If any knows the Indian scenario, pl. let others know.
They wouldn't have used their real names in setting up this business, registering and setting up the website, and even the travel documents they would have used to travel to and fro Sri Lanka.
What amazes me most is not the fooling of the investors, but how well they have fooled our local authorities.
Is is because of the rampant corruption prevalent in ou bereaucracy?? How could they have run this scam for a good 10 months?? What were our authorities doing?? They ran this scam openly with newspaper advertisements, offices in prominents places, Bank Accounts and what not.
Surely there are a lot of procedures involved with Government Authorities/Agencies in approving the running or establising such a business. Were such approvals obtained or given??
If they reallywant to be a developed and a very well equipped nation who have better IT poeple and defence which took nearly 10 years to capture their most known terrorist leader then lets see how they take up this challenge!!!!VISION 2020!!!*-+!@#%$%^^&
plz don't kill Mr.Rajkumar because I know how to kill him plz give me my hand that is my duty bcoz I am introduce many offices and many friends specil for Prsident Office so I know how to kill him don't warry very soon I'll kill all seagullsoftwares staff special for Mr.Rajkumar, Mr.Dominic, Mr. Ashfaq and otheres but i am not kill Mr. Jayathilaka bcoz I want arrest him he is is SL i can sure if any people help me I'll sure contact me
It's rather odd to say that I should have been monitoring the ads in the Times or whatever just because I advocate KPOs/BPOs.
I am a private individual who happens to write a column and respond to information requests from media, not some kind of monitoring/regulatory agency.
Is Citizen Perera suggesting that one should not advocate job and wealth creation in the economy, because some scam artist could become active in that sector? This is like saying that one should advocate the building of highways because there may be an accident on the highway once built.
BPOs/KPOs are good. Ask the 4000 odd people working in them. Scams, Ponzi or other, are bad. Promote the BPOs and go after the crooks. That's it.
Still calling me an stupid, I asked all sort of questions myself before I bought my 60 slots. Now we have been caught but there is nothing impossible to trace the so called George Dominic and Rajkumar.
Again Do we think the Manager who was signing and receiving money did not know anything about the scam? Why did he keep quite? what was his share and who audited the incomes.
I am convinced the SriLankan Manager has all answers? The so called staff even was too rude and they too could have done something if they were patriotic.
However, let's coordinate a protest to Indian High Commission for capture the culprits whereabouts.
As far as I think they have bocked some of the Bank Accounts of a Director of Seagullsoftwares who is a Sri Lankan and are further Investigating.
The real owners are Indian Tamils who had fled out of the country.
To learn more and to protect our rights all members are invited to be there at SeagullSoftwares premises at Mt. Lavinia on Monday the 30th of October by 9:30 AM. Hope all members will be there to protect the rights of our nation.
I have been shouting myself hoarse over the last five months that this is a scam.
I have been saying that it is unethical to join, even if you get paid, there will be lot of people who will lose at the end. Some even school leavers.
Why should the CID bother? They have real crimes to investigate. This is self inflicted, which could have been avoided by a little brainwork before joining.
In fact, I suspect that most of the people who joined knew it was a scam and that the only reason to join was they hoped they could go on for three months or more and recover THEIR investment. Much like the Gold Quest, greed outdid the ethics.
I think all idiots who actually got hit by this scam should consider this a lesson learnt, and get on with their lives.
If it is too good to be true...... it usually is [isn't].
and take this: (afraid LBO blog will delete this part) may be the professor advocating KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) NEVER came accross the repeated seagullsoftware advts. in the Sunday Times.
I heard that there is an organisation for the BPO companies in SL. Were they also misguided?
How about the NIB ? did not they alert the Police/CID/CCD/Central Bank when huge amout of money is moving in out?
the question list can go on like that.......One thing is clear in this Paradise of thieves-Indian thieves also can participate-- that you have to save your self like Old Fine JR said. (thamagey aarakshawa thamnma sapaya ganna)
when people invest Rs.1.5million or Rs.650,000 eventhough they are getting money per month seagull would get a lot of money and since the 2 persons are from india suppose if they have collected around Rs. 150million as a profit from the day they started this business then if we compared with the last budget of our country our annual income is around Rs.4500million so Rs.150million is nearly 0.04 percent of our gross annual income and so that amount has been gone to india, if i conclude it: this LKR 150million will be calculated as an income through foreign currency for indian budget, somebody may say that our Rs.150million is negligible compared to indian economy but if you really think, it says "start to save from cents and then you will gain millions" see today the exchange rate of adollar is around RS.107 and these kind of things would result in going it much more even higher...
next time we should be careful when we dealing with indians too...and also our young generation should think more optimisticly and intelligently.. and also the bank has done worst thing onthis matter...they have given a separate some kind of a card like thing to slot buyers who opened the accounts in their bank, they should try to be more trustfull for our nation and also respected people should take an action against the bank since they have been operating a branch at seagull premises at mountlavinia before the things went wrong.
see what has happened to them poor foolish wanderers who thought they can earn money by browsing web and copying it to excel sheet and uploading it after the file is zipped.
I think the bank that had a branch on the premise also had a responsibilityof announcing this scam to the people, because they were their official banker.
I lost Rs.6500/=
Wehn they initailly advertise in the papers i went to the office and questinoed them about it. but after 9 months latter because of few of my friends i brought 1 connection paying 6500.
what a laugh.
Who pays to get a job? Companies dont demanded advances they PAY advances (its called the Golden Hello or a sign on bonus).
Further, what does a software company want with raw untrained hands?
If your do a google search for 'seagullsoftwares' you will come across a number of forums where people have voiced their suspicions.
The people who fell for it are fools and they have only themselves to blame for it.
Unfortunately, it appears that all the bright people have left this land, we seem to be left with only the idiots, thus making this place a haven for scammers. No wonder GoldQuest wants to get back here again.
We are Sri Lankan don't wary we can arrest them I also lost money my bad is in seagullsoftware FIRST AND LAST MEMBER IS ONLY I AM don't warry I want people help we can arrest all staff
They created a climax of false sense of genuineness by arranging to make the payments through the bank at their premises, bank accounts opened through the agents of the banks at their office one month before they fled. Which might have encouraged many people take up more so called slots.
This was very popular among university students as a part time job & they had even used free internet facilities available at universities for their studies to do this. I wonder why even any university lecturer didn't look into the genuineness of this when it was so widespread among their students.
If these students had took a moment to think how can the work that they do can be used to reduce the costs of a business process, they would have noticed that this was a scam.
Two days before they fled, they had made payments for ones who owe less than 20,000 for that month under the scheme. So ones who joined early & was cautious may have at least got break even. But they are the ones who contributed most to the scam by spreading the word of mouth.
If you would have watched the Sirasa TV's last weekend English movie, your mindset would have been clearly adjusted to perceive this as "they didn't take my money, I gave it to them". It might have helped a lot to bear the stress for ones who got caught to the scam.
There is a lot to learn from this. That is if they ever learn. This clearly exhibits the ignorance of the concerned authorities of Sri Lanka. But we should know that it is the way of life in Sri Lanka. As otherwise we could have become a well developed country by now.
Also people who had submitted their personnel details to these people should be more vigilant in the future. As they might come up with another stunt using those.
If you scan through the Sunday Observer Employment sections, you would be able to find such similar scams. So it is high time that relevant authorities take action against these schemes to protect the public.
Goldquest was another scenario. This gave people the impression that are really "working" to earn and thus all thoughts about the business's legitamacy would vanish. Yes, some people never learn! Though I would say some of us would count this as an added experience to realize how in the world exists such scumbags!
After emailing Interpol, their response was that the SL govt should take the relevant action and if required get Interpol's assistance, but at the rate these things are going I doubt whether it would ever happen.
For one, why is their NO EXTENSIVE coverage of this incident? The Daily News didnt carry anything related to Seagull.. To me it seems the govt is trying to edge away from being responsibility.. I dont know maybe am wrong...
Zz
Even seagull called it as "buying a slot for 6,500". then how come u all say investment
The fact that companies demand an advance from new recruits is quite normal in India.
Also, most individuals who fell for this had to work to get paid, so no one felt suspicious about it.
The more work you do, the more you earn. Anyone who was too greedy went on to start a sub-contracting business hoping to earn easy money; they are the ones who feel the pinch the most.
The contact information of the person who has registered this website is as follows:
SEAGULL SOFTWARES PVT.LTD
RAJ SEKHAR (yugeorge2000@yahoo.co.uk)
1/2A EAST ABHIRAMPURAM, MYLAPORE
CHENNAI
Tamil Nadu,600021
INDIA
Tel. +91.4428285452
I am not sure whether this information is correct, but this is what was used when registering this website.
Well done Central bank & the CID..!!! but still lots of money has allready gone to HELL..!!
People are still falling for such hoary old tricks as the Nigerian scam as well as increasing numbers of pyramid and ponzi style scams.
Keep it up, the economy will BOOOOOM! Booooom! Boooooooom! for sure,
Sir, How about a new 5000/- note please?
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