Furthermore, Powweb Hosting also claims that they offer the following with their $3.88/month hosting solution:

• FREE Domain
• UNLIMITED Storage & Bandwidth
• $125 in Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search and Facebook Ad credits
• Free Yellowpages.com Listing
• MySQL, PHP, CGI
• Point & Click WYSIWYG Site Builder
• 30 Day Money Back Guarantee

The offer sounds Too Good to be True doesn’t it?

Well the verdict is…. IT IS TRUE! POWWEB HOSTING is NOT A SCAM!

I had a small project designing a website for a client just recently, and decided to give Powweb Hosting a try given their great deals & freebies, and found out that their claims for superior service is a fact, NOT A SCAM!

Not only that, their customer service is top notch, especially with the option to contact them via Live Chat. They were available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even when I contacted them once at 1pm (Malaysian time, GMT +8), and again at 3.30am. Seems that although they are in the USA, there is no problem to contact them be it during the day, or late in the wee hours of the morning, in any time zone!

So if your small business needs a good hosting, I can tell you that Powweb Hosting is well worth the money. Their $3.88/month Unlimited Hosting Solution package with free domains is one of the best in the market, if not the best.

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• Fatcow Web Hosting – Humor helps you sell

To be real honest, I was so attracted to Fatcow’s  brand name that I decided to host this blog with them. To me, the layout of their site is “relaxing” to the eye, and it was a “fun” brand to buy from. Below is their landing page.While I do not have the exact numbers, I bet they are doing well selling their web hosting packages.

Other than that, Fatcow offers Unlimited Storage & Bandwidth, definitely helpful to store my files and handle millions of visitors (will get there someday).

So that’s a lesson to be learned – when marketing products, you don’t have to be serious or formal all the time. Sometimes a tinge of humor will go a long way in helping you bring in the sales (and of course, a “Beefy” discount will also help… lol).

So if you’re interested to join the herd, checkout Fatcow’s 50% discount offer. They’re even giving away a Smart ForTwo car, so don’t miss out.

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• Powweb Hosting a Scam?

Maybank Visa Debit Card

A visitor emailed me the other day asking about the spending limits for the Maybank Visa Debit Card. They have also asked how can they change/increase the spending limits of the card.

By default, Maybank has set the spending limit for the Maybank Visa Debit Card to RM500 per day. The spending limit includes purchases made online or offline.

You can change the spending limit to a maximum of RM5,000 per day, however you cannot do it online. The spending limit (along with withdrawal limit) for the Maybank Visa Debit Card can ONLY be changed at the Maybank ATM. I have called the Maybank customer service line, and they did confirm this, and that the spending limit cannot be changed online.

Do hope this helps! Please do email me at info [at] mrcuz [dot] com if you have questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them for you

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• Adding your Maybank Visa Debit Card to Paypal
• Maybank Visa Debit Card can now be used for Paypal Withdrawal

Of late, there has been many emails “supposedly” from CIMB claiming that your CIMB Clicks account needs re-verification and such, and requires you to login at on a link that they provide.

DO NOT FALL FOR THIS CIMB CLICKS PHISHING SCAM!

Ignore the email, and do not click on the link that they give in the email.

This is the most recent CIMB Clicks email phishing that I received (links removed of course)

We noticed several unsuccessful login attempts on your CIMB Clicks online bank account. Therefore your account has been suspended as part of our security precaution.

You are therefore required to re-confirm your account details on file with us in order to prove that you are the legitimate owner of the account.

This is a 2 step authentication process, which must be completed.

Confirm Your Details [link to the phishing site]

Note: You are requested to have your mobile phone close to you

You will be requesed to enter a Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC) in other to restore your account access.

You shall receive the Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC) on your mobile phone during the step 2 of the account restoration process

Failure to provide the Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC) which you will receive on your mobile phone shall lead to permanent closure of your online banking account

You are advised to adhere strictly to the instructions provided in this email.

Thank you,
CIMB Clicks Team.

Phishing scam (pronounced as ‘fishing’), is an act of masquerading to acquire your sensitive information such as bank account numbers, passwords etc. Phishing scammers will usually send emails to unsuspecting victims, posing as a bank officials requesting you to update your information, confirm your details and more. Phishing scam is a major financial threat, and in the UK, an estimated total of £23.2 million has been lost to phishing scam in 2005 (source: Association for Payment Clearing Services, APACS. Click here for article).

So be very careful guys! Always remember to login from cimbclicks.com.my if you want to check your CIMB account, and never use any of the email links to login!

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Snapped this pic over at Tesco Cheras a few weeks back.

There are 2 possibilities here:

1. Malaysia is a very prosperous country. So prosperous that even a disabled/handicapped guy can afford an RM200,000 Toyota Estima.

2. Damn-bugger-with-no-civic-consciousness parked in a parking space reserved for a disabled customer.

If it was case number #1, I should be kicked in the butt for being such a loser.. I drive Proton only!

In any case, if the parking is reserved for the Disabled customers or for customers with young infants, don’t park there. Be a kind hearted guy or gal!

Happy New Year Malaysia!! What’s your Plan for 2010?

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Christmas is (almost) here!

To all readers & visitors, I would like to wish a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

If you’re not celebrating Christmas, have a great 3 day weekend! (Yay!!).

Finally we will find out who’s on Santa’s Good Boys & Good Girls list for 2009.. lol

So, what’s your New Year’s resolution & target for 2010?

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Google Adwords is now offering RM200 worth of advertising, on the house!

Google Adwords RM200 Coupon/Voucher Link

Call it a social responsibilty or a marketing move or what not, Google is offering an RM200 stimulus package for Malaysian Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to advertise on the Google Adwords platform. Google Adwords is the world’s number Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising platform, and many businesses worldwide, from sole proprieties to Public Listed companies have advertised their products and services on Google Adwords.

For many affiliate marketers, Google Adwords is the primary source of traffic and conversions. So if you’re planning to start affiliate marketing through PPC advertising and you’re short of capital, take advantage of this offer.

Google did not state as to how long this offer will last, so Signup Now as they can (and always do) take it down anytime!

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It has come to my attention of late that many Paypal users withdrawing to CIMB Bank (in Malaysia) is facing some problems, and most of their withdrawals were rejected and charged a fee of RM15 (for failed withdrawal).

This error is mainly due to incorrect MEPS routing code (SWIFT code).

Quick Info – the MEPS routing code or SWIFT Code is the bank’s identification code, which consists of alphabets and/or numbers. Some banks have all alphabets as their routing code, some others have a combination of alphabets and numbers.

The MEPS Routing code or SWIFT Code is required by most banks when making telegraphic transfers (or wire transfers), and is required by Paypal in order to withdraw funds to bank accounts.

Paypal incorrectly stated CIMB’s routing code as BSNAMYK1, which is actually Bank Simpanan Nasional’s routing code. CIMB’s correct MEPS Routing Code (SWIFT code) is CIBBMYKL.

So if you did experience this problem, please check your bank details with Paypal again. I’m sure 99% of cases of failed Paypal withdrawal to CIMB Bank is caused by this problem.

Apart from this problem, Malaysian Paypal users are “enjoying” the Paypal withdrawal to Malaysian bank facility as it has been a long awaited feature, and there hasn’t been any complaints. The fees are much lower  compared to withdrawing to a Visa debit card, and in most cases, faster (4 working days max).

So no more excuses not to sell online using Paypal for Malaysians

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Here are 5 quick tips to stay safe and be aware of how much it will cost you exactly “to take the prize home”

Don’t buy in December!

I am not going to be popular by saying this, but I’m saying it anyway – Do not buy anything from eBay in December! Unless if the seller is within Southeast Asia, then it’s OK.

December is the busiest time of the year for online shopping, and the scammers  know that too. This is the best time for the scammers to strike eBay and reap gargantuan “profits” from last minute shoppers, and they will strike. I’ve had a few purchases that went awry during the month of December, and while this does not apply to most eBay sellers, better to be safe than sorry!

On top of that, December is the busiest month for postal services in the US and the UK. If your item is shipped out by USPS First Class Mail or Royalmail Air Post, chances are it will take until the end of January (6-8 weeks) to get your item, if it even reaches you at all. If you really must buy that item in September, be sure to have it shipped by USPS Global Express Mail, Parcelforce (for UK), or any of the couriers (Fedex, UPS, DHL etc). It will cost you more, but again, better to be safe than sorry.

If it is an Auction-Style Listing, Don’t get Too Excited that the Item is Only 99 cents!

“Cuz, I found an iPhone that costs only 99 cents!”

A friend of mine exclaimed when he first saw it on eBay, and sets plan to buy an iPhone for his girlfriend, sister, mom, and his pet iguana. I smiled to myself and wished him good luck. Sure enough, he never talked about that iPhone again.

If it is an auction listing, chances are that by the end of the auction period (end time), the price will skyrocket to its fair demand price. eBay auctions are a proxy bidding process, meaning that you set the maximum price that you want to spend for the item, and the price increments every time someone else places a bid on that same item.

Bidding is an exciting process, and after 7 years worth of eBay experience under my belt, it never ceases to amuse me. Rookie & amateur eBayers will keep a tab on the current price every other hour or so, while the veterans know better and bid at the very last seconds.

Reason? Simple. If you place a bid early on the item, other rookies and amateurs will put up a good fight to stay as the highest bidder. So bid at the very last second to avoid the bidding war, and you will end up paying less for the item. When I say the last second, do not take it too literally. Give it around 10-20 seconds so you have time to increase your maximum bid in case if your bid is still lower than another eBayer’s maximum bid. By bidding in the last seconds of the auction, your competition won’t have a chance to counter your bid. Sounds evil, but hey, chivalry is not measured by paying more for that item.

Make Sure you are Buying from an Established Seller

Even in traditional shopping (buying in a shop etc etc), we would always prefer an establishment (boutiques, shopping malls) compared to a pasar malam stall. Same goes to shopping online on eBay. Check the seller’s reputation via their feedback & Detailed Seller Rating (DSR). A high feedback score with a purple or red star is good, but also check their positive feedback percentage. 96% and above is a good number, anything less requires further probing.

To ensure you’re dealing with the real McCoy, shoot them an email via the “Ask a question” link and ask them whether they will ship to Malaysia, shipping duration, or any questions that comes to mind. See if the seller writes back and note the time taken for the seller to respond and the tone of the email that you received. The way that the seller responds to your enquiries is a good way of determining how the transaction will turn out to be. Great eBay sellers know this, and they will answer enquiries professionally and politely.

Check the Seller’s Shipping Policy

It’s not December, and the seller is genuine & checks up good. What’s next?

Check and see whether the seller ships to Malaysia (or whichever country that you’re in). Check on the “Seller Info tab” (screenshot below)

The seller in this screenshot ships worldwide, so no problem. If the seller does not state Asia or “Worldwide” as their shipping destination, shoot them an email (again, use the “Ask a Question” link) and ask them whether they will ship to you location. Some sellers may not, but it’s worth a try.

So the seller ships to your country, now what? Remember that the winning bid is only one part of the cost. Shipping charges are another matter.

Check the “Shipping and Payments” tab for the shipping cost to your country. If your country is now listed in the drop down menu, again, shoot an email to the seller and enquire for the cost.

Special Note: Be sure to ask the seller regarding shipping costs before placing a bid. Your bid is a binding contract, and “expensive” shipping charge is not an excuse to get you out of that contract!

It always pays to know how much exactly that you will be paying. So remember that you are paying for the winning bid price plus the shipping charges.

Last but Never the Least, Always Pay by Paypal!

As a seller, Paypal is not really my favorite payment processor, but when it comes to buying online on eBay or any other sites, paying by Paypal is a must.

Paypal has a good protection policy for buyers, so if anything does go wrong (item not received, item not as described etc), you can file a dispute against the seller, and Paypal will help to recover back your money.

There you go. 5 things that you should note before buying on eBay. Shopping on eBay is fun, but be sure to stay safe at all times.

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Dear Lemon,

Some people said that lemon is sour and Berry is sweet and it can’t be combined.
But with Ribena, anything is possible.
The taste is tasty. People like it. Don’t you think so? Why do people say we are perfect match?
It’s just like you and I, I am just like the berry and you are the lemon. Because of that, we should be together so that we can be more tasty. That’s why we are a perfect match. Just like Ribena. I always think that we are made for each other.
Sorry for what I did it to you. I hope you can try mix it (berry and lemon) and hopefully it will become sweet .
Please give me another chance. I promise I will give you happiness and I won’t hurt you anymore. I’ll make you happy. Trust me. Please give me another chance. I love you.

xoxo,
Berry.

Sweet eh (and funny in a way)? As a reference, here is the original Ribena Lemon commercial aired on Malaysian TV:

Do hope the letter does its job

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