“Ice Cream or Else” – Lakeside Resident Questions Late-Night $16 ‘School Project’ Sales
A Reddit user’s strange encounter in Lakeside has resurfaced an old scam that some Singaporeans may recognise all too well. On the night of 21 March 2025, u/Guilty-Anteater-7935 shared their story on r/SingaporeRaw after being approached by two men selling 1-litre tubs of ice cream — allegedly for a school project.
At 10 PM.
Pushy Sales, Sketchy Vibes
One of the men wore an NYP jersey, the other had no identifiable school branding. They claimed they had to sell five tubs that night, pricing them at $16 each. When the Redditor declined, things got pushy. One of the sellers allegedly tried to guilt-trip and pressure them into buying, saying they’d only earn $1–$2 from the sale, with the rest going to “school commission.”
But what really set off alarm bells was how un-student-like they seemed.
“These dudes weren’t even kids... more like ‘ice cream or else’ energy,” wrote the original poster.
This Scam’s Got Lore
Redditors quickly chimed in with recognition. Turns out, this isn’t new. Commenters said this “school project” ice cream hustle has been around since the 2000s, often involving questionable individuals and overly aggressive tactics.
“They would even go door to door in HDBs, pleading some sob story,” said u/MadKyaw.
A widely upvoted reply by u/gentlemanjackdota linked a Straits Times article from years ago about groups using teens to sell overpriced goods door-to-door under emotional pretences. The scheme often targets younger sellers with bait like social media posts showing kids holding stacks of cash.
“We shouldn't buy from the kids because it'll make the scam more attractive and more kids will get baited in.”
What’s worse? Sometimes the sellers are adults, not students at all. As OP noted, one looked like he “graduated a decade ago,” and the other gave off serious “Yakuza side quest” vibes.
Singaporeans Have Seen It All
Others shared their own brushes with this hustle — from being sworn at for refusing a sale, to sellers loudly canvassing neighbourhoods until they notice doorbell cams.
“My place had a gang of kids peddling ice cream… they immediately quietened down and whispered ‘camera, got camera’ once they noticed the green light.” – u/gentlemanjackdota
One commenter even recalled their dad going down to confront the sellers after a teenage encounter ended with them getting scolded.
The Real Scoop?
This isn't about expensive ice cream. It’s about exploiting sympathy, creating high-pressure situations, and twisting the idea of a school project into something predatory. At best, it’s a dodgy hustle. At worst, it’s manipulating kids into fronting for profit-driven adults.
And the $16 price tag? As one user put it:
“$16 a tub? It better be Häagen-Dazs and two pints big.”
In short, if someone claims to be selling ice cream for a school project after dark and starts getting pushy — just walk away. The only thing you’re supporting might be a long-running street-level scam disguised as a lesson in entrepreneurship.
