What allowed the fraudster to cheat restaurants for over two years?

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A Woman's Deception Uncovered: The Tactics Behind Over S$9,000 in Fraudulent Restaurant Deliveries

A woman was able to defraud restaurants of over S$9,000 by manipulating PayNow transaction screenshots, a scheme that persisted for approximately two years. Santos-Tumalip Maria Monalyn Bagaporo, a 33-year-old Filipino national, admitted to using an application to alter payment slips, making it appear as though she had completed transactions when, in reality, no payment was made. This deception allowed her to obtain food and other goods without financial exchange.
Doctored Screenshots Used as Proof of Payment

Bagaporo employed a sophisticated method of fabricating payment evidence. After initiating a PayNow transfer, she would capture a screenshot of the transaction slip. She then utilized an editing application to modify this image, often altering details such as the sender's account number to create the illusion of payment from various sources. These doctored screenshots were subsequently sent via WhatsApp to the establishments, leading them to believe the payment had been successfully processed.
Restaurants' Failure to Verify Bank Records

A critical factor enabling the prolonged fraud was the restaurants' practice of processing orders without independently verifying their bank records. Upon receiving the manipulated PayNow screenshots, establishments like Home of Seafood and Baci Baci proceeded with fulfilling the food orders. For instance, Home of Seafood lost approximately S$3,892 between May 2022 and August 2023, while Baci Baci was defrauded of S$6,168 between June 2024 and May 2025. This reliance on presented screenshots rather than direct financial reconciliation facilitated Bagaporo's illicit activities.
Extended Scheme Included Theft and Voucher Fraud

The scope of Bagaporo's fraudulent activities extended beyond restaurant deliveries. She also admitted to stealing groceries valued at about S$739 from a Giant supermarket. Furthermore, she used fabricated PayNow screenshots to obtain hair treatment vouchers from a salon, successfully using one voucher worth S$381.50 before the fraud was detected. The salon director reported the matter after Bagaporo failed to pay for two vouchers and subsequently deleted communication records with the salon when contacted by authorities.

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What allowed the fraudster to cheat restaurants for over two years?

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