HONG KONG — A Singaporean woman has sued a Hong Kong beauty chain over accusations that she was pressured into paying HK$1.3 million (S$224,000) to upgrade her treatment plan against her will.

In a writ filed to the District Court on March 29, Ms Tan Lay Hong said she was unlawfully detained, lied to and forced to sign blank contracts and credit card slips without explanation or confirmation of the amounts charged.

The defendants listed were BK Medical Group, I-Media Asia and Perfect Medical Beauty Group, which are part of a group listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange as Perfect Shape Medical.

Legal documents made available on April 1 revealed that Ms Tan’s troubles began in May 2014 when she went to Perfect Shape & Spa in Mong Kok for a facial treatment that was part of her existing package.

She was prepared to leave at 9pm on May 29, when staff invited her to a meeting room, closed the door and began persuading her to upgrade her package by paying HK$150,000.

Ms Tan’s lawyers said she was not allowed to leave the treatment centre without agreeing to the upgrade. The lawyers said the beauty workers insisted she pay immediately, even after she indicated that the amount exceeded her credit limit.

They were said to have suggested Ms Tan take out a 24-month loan from her credit card providers to pay the three defendants in instalments.

“As a result of the staff’s unlawful detention, improper pressure imposed on the plaintiff, the plaintiff was fatigued, confused and anxious to return home,” the writ stated. “The plaintiff finally gave in and signed the forms, including the blank contract forms involuntarily, as well as several credit card slips.”

By the time she was allowed to leave, Ms Tan said she had been held at the centre for four hours.

The following day, Ms Tan was picked up from her office in Kwun Tong and escorted back to the treatment centre, where she was again asked to present her credit cards and sign another credit card slip, according to the writ.

That was when Ms Tan realised a payment of HK$400,000 had been made without her consent.

When she protested, the staff said that she had actually agreed to pay HK$1.5 million to upgrade her package and refused to revoke the signed contracts, instead offering to give her a HK$200,000 discount.

Ms Tan also claimed they called her credit card providers in an attempt to have the unauthorised transactions approved. She said she was even ushered to a bank to withdraw HK$355,000 in cash.

She discovered on May 31 that the three defendants had charged her a total of HK$1.3 million, to which she had never consented and was never provided with any official receipts, the writ said.

The case was reported to the Customs and Excise Department, the Consumer Council and police.

Ms Tan is now demanding a refund of HK$1.3 million plus damages and the repeal of contracts she signed. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST