The "Alternative" Zenov Yap

If you are here because:

• You have been verbally abused online by a guy named Yap Tien Eng (or the combination of the 3 words);
• You were scammed by a guy named Yap Tien Eng;
• You are conducting your own investigation to find out who this Yap Tien Eng is;
• You want to seek redress for the wrong you faced online because of a guy named Yap Tien Eng

Please note that the guy named Yap Tien Eng is a coward who used the name of a guy named Yap Tien Eng, used the photos of a guy named Yap Tien Eng and at times claimed to posses the occupation of a guy named Yap Tien Eng, to advance his personal agenda of denting the reputation of a guy named Yap Tien Eng.

I’m glad you decided to do a fact-check, so I am here to tell you that I, the owner of this blog, am the victim of this impersonation scam.

It’s funny that in this age of “fake news”, I can actually be in the centre of the scam of “fake Zenov” (or in this case, “Fake Yap Tien Eng”).

It all started last year, when the impersonator began a marathon to make racist remarks to many people. One of them did a (improper) investigative work and linked me, the real Zenov, to the fake Zenov. A complaint was lodged with my company’s HR, and I was called in for an investigation.

It was very apparent that the fake Zenov was using only my legal name and the real Zenov could not have committed those acts. I convinced my HR of the impersonation, but to further clear my name, I went to lodge a police report. However, to prevent misrepresentation of my employer, I was low key about that affair.

Fast forward to present, the same impersonator is still going on a verbal abuse rampage. This time, the victims did an investigation, found the real me, and instead of taking the law into their own hands, they reached out to me. I convinced them the fake was very fake, but they had also made known to me that the fake had further made use of photos of me posted online to perpetuate his own agenda.

At the same time, I found out that another account, using the same “Yap Tien Eng”, carried out an online scam, also using my photos posted online. It got bad, because the victims posted a “Scammer Alert” and used the same photos to warn others of the fake me, but also effectively warning against the real me.

Photos of me holding a Yellow Ribbon… Photos of me in my workplace. Basically, the reputation of the organisations I am/was in, both of which are very highly esteemed, is at stake.

What is his agenda? I do not know. I can only speculate.

Perhaps he is jealous I am more good looking and successful in life than he is?

Perhaps he was an ex-client of mine who wanted to exact revenge for the time I held back his yard time?

Or perhaps he took offense at my coming out as an atheist, which is a class of the society constantly under attacks from other people?

Perhaps he was just being childish and wanted to damage a person’s reputation and employment opporunities for the fun of it.

I can’t be sure.

But I know for now, that more is at stake.

I would like to take this opportunity to re-state my stand, as I did in my declaration last year, that if you have been harassed / abused / scammed,

• Make a police report, using detailed screenshots and evidence;
• And quote that a similar police report (G/20160525/7016) had been made by the real “Yap Tien Eng” at Singapore Police Force “G” Division

Most probably, if you have come here to find out more about “Yap Tien Eng Zenov” who harassed you somewhere in the cyberspace, it shows that you are not one who jumps to conclusions and take impulsive revenge actions.

Alternatively, you can just be my friend who came to this entry at my request.

Either way, I will like to seek your support to take one more step, which is to spread this message on taking the right steps to fight cybercrimes.

Yes, it is frustrating to be dealing with such people who are bulldozing their way around the internet. It is also frustrating when you are like me, who kept receiving angry messages from strangers, even though it was not you who provoked them in reality.

There are people working hard, picking up competencies to make ourselves useful to this society and going through challenges to bring food to the table. Can you feel the frustration of working hard to make a living, and having it all taken away just because someone abused your namesake?

Are we going to let such cyber criminals randomly hurt and destroy the years of effort put in by individuals to build noble causes? Are we going to let such cyber criminals hurt the reputation of a company that maintains the livelihood of tens of thousands of Singaporeans through its main and affiliated businesses?

I think, at the core of my message, I am pushing for a civic movement for Singaporeans to be clear about the legal implications of impersonating another person, of making irresponsible remarks, and to even carry out vices using another person’s name.

We must let parents know that they have to educate their children to be responsible members of the society, who will not grow up to engage in such lowly acts of crime.
We must let everyone know that if you are being abused, the proper recourse is to seek help from the law enforcement agencies.

We must let potential criminals know that Singaporeans are serious in maintaining the integrity of our nation; investments vital to Singapore’s economy will stop coming in if companies are in fear that their business reputation can be hurt by such cyber criminals.

We must drive to the point that such petty, little acts can chip at the foundation of success that Singapore is built on, and over time, will result in long term harm to the place we call our home.

I have taken a stand.

Will you?