Wondering if it was too good to be true, Lai said she asked the person for more details to ensure that he was an actual photographer.
The man replied that the model would must wear a crop top and tennis skirt, and the photo shoot would involve 50 other men performing a sexual act.
I’d do anything for money, but not for this
He then said the salary could be raised to S$12,000 ($8,900). Lai said within the recording that she didn’t accept the offer.
“I’m just raising awareness about it. If you ever get an email, whether it’s Gavin Choo or anyone else, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” she said. “I’d do anything for money, but not this.”
As of Monday, the video had been viewed greater than 174,000 times and had greater than 250 comments.
In the comments, TikTok users expressed shock at the character of the person’s offer, with some asking Lai to report the person to authorities.
Many people commenting on the video said the photographer also approached them for an analogous photoshoot via email or direct messages on social media.
One user wrote: “A photographer once asked me to do a photoshoot in a hotel room, however it was too dangerous [so] I turned around [it] Down.”
Another said: “I got it too, however the conditions regarding clothing and posing [were] miscellaneous.”
However, several users stated that gives for such “photo sessions” have been appearing for a while.
One comment read: “I remember this very same thing happening years ago. I am unable to imagine it’s happening again.”
Another wrote: “This was a scam after I was 18…almost 18 years ago.”
In 2021, several women in Singapore took to social media to share their experiences of receiving offers for similar sexual photoshoots.
In one case, a lady was offered S$22,500 for 3 hours of filming, which involved signing a non-disclosure agreement – a legally binding document obligating her to maintain the data confidential.
The woman reported the matter to the police and officers informed her that the person who sent the e-mail had been found and given him a warning.
Under the Singapore Film Act, it is prohibited to make or reproduce obscene movies, even in the event that they will not be intended for distribution or public display. Those found guilty may be fined as much as S$40,000 or imprisoned for as much as two years, or each.
The city-state’s Undesirable Publications Act also makes it illegal to take obscene photographs if those photographs are taken for the aim of delivering or distributing them to others. The offence may end up in a effective of as much as S$2,000 or imprisonment for as much as two years.
In response to questions, Lai said she recorded the video to attract public attention to the situation and that she blocked the person after rejecting his offer.
While she felt “disgusted” that this example happened to her and other women, she added that “things like this are predictable because there are a lot of weird people in the world.”
When asked if she had reported the matter to the police, Lai replied that she had not, as she initially felt there was “no point” in doing so for the reason that police could only give the person a warning.
However, he believes it could be worthwhile for the police to “take a fresh look at the case” and determine whether the perpetrator is identical man who was answerable for the previous cases.
“We never know if his next victim will actually fall for it, and who knows what would occur [then]?” she said.
The Singapore Police Force has been contacted for clarification on what motion may be taken against perpetrators in cases where no obscene videos or photos were taken.
