It’s already tough trying to earn a living through honest work, but now, even that comes with the risk of being scammed. A humble banana fritter seller recently went viral after falling victim to a cruel trick: being paid with a counterfeit RM100 note.
The incident was shared by TikTok user @kakemikitchen, who took to the platform to express their disappointment and heartbreak. “Even small traders like me get scammed with fake money,” they wrote, clearly disheartened by the experience.
At first glance, the note looked completely normal. The colour, watermark, and even the portrait of Malaysia’s first Agong were all there. But it was only when the note got wet that things took a turn.
In a follow-up video, the seller demonstrated how the ink started to bleed the moment water touched it. Purple smudges spread across the surface, and the back of the note revealed patchy, faded areas, which were clear signs that it was a poorly printed fake.
Anticipating scepticism, the vendor defended themselves, saying, “You be the judge. Does this look like real money to you? I’m not doing this for clout, I’m showing this to prove it happened.”
The video quickly gained attention as netizens flooded the comments with messages of support. Many were appalled that someone would go to such lengths to deceive a small food vendor. Some offered practical advice, like investing in a UV counterfeit detector or switching to cashless payment options like QR codes. A few even speculated that the scammer might not have known the note was fake themselves.
Still, it’s a sobering reminder that even for those selling goreng pisang by the roadside, no one is truly safe from getting cheated.
Let this be a cautionary tale. Always double-check large notes, especially if something feels off. Scammers don’t discriminate, and their tricks are getting harder to spot.
