PhD Education adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards copyright infringement. We are fully committed to taking firm legal actions against any form of copyright infringement and will continue to take all necessary legal steps, including civil action, criminal enforcement and collaboration with the authorities, to protect our publications and uphold the integrity of our work.

Note: The following cases were part of official investigations and legal proceedings, and the information presented here is drawn from publicly reported facts, including police statements and court records. The names of the individuals and entities involved were previously published in open sources such as newspapers and public documents. As the information is already part of the public record, we are not required to withhold their names on our website.

Case 1:
PhD Education Against Jeremy Exam Paper
Court Ref: AG/CJD/10/601/2013/6, SUM-20131014-000023

In early April 2013, PhD Education received several tip-offs from customers that pirated copies of our exam packages were being sold at outlets belonging to Jeremy Exam Paper. A subsequent survey confirmed that three titles from PhD Education had been reproduced without permission and distributed across more than twenty outlets islandwide. Our logo had been removed and the pirated versions were being sold at prices lower than those in Popular Bookstores.

Private investigators were immediately appointed to conduct trap purchases and gather evidence of infringement.

Trap purchases made at Jeremy Exam Paper outlets at Thomson Plaza, Clementi Avenue 3 Block 449, Toa Payoh Lorong 6 Block 190 and Heartland Mall.

With the evidence obtained, our lawyers applied for search warrants against the Toa Payoh and Thomson Plaza outlets. On 10 April 2013, both premises were raided by officers from the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Singapore Police Force, together with our legal team and the private investigators. Pirated copies of PhD Education materials were discovered on site and seized by the authorities.

Distributing infringing copies for commercial gain is a criminal offence in Singapore. The owners of Jeremy Exam Paper, Phang Chay Kim and Phang Chye Huat, had clearly violated the law. As part of an out-of-court settlement, they published a quarter page public apology in The Straits Times on 9 June 2014 and compensated PhD Education a sum of $30,000.

Public apology by Jeremy Exam Paper. Source: The Straits Times, 9 June 2014.

In addition, both owners faced criminal charges and were ordered to pay $8000 to the State, failing which a jail term would be imposed. They chose to pay the fine.

A full report of the case was later published in Lianhe Zaobao on 23 November 2014.

Case 2:
PhD Education Against Michelle Vera Lee Mei Jiao (S8904XXXG)
Court Ref: HC/S 534/2020, DC/DC 942/2021

On 1 June 2020, and subsequently on 5 June, 6 June, and 13 June 2020, we received several tip-offs from members of the public regarding the sale of unauthorised soft copies and photocopied versions of our exam packages. These infringing materials were reportedly being offered on Carousell via the account “primarysecondaryhelp”. We received these reports through WhatsApp messages, phone calls and emails from concerned individuals, and we remain deeply appreciative of their vigilance.

Upon reviewing the information provided, we conducted verification and confirmed that our copyrighted exam packages were indeed being reproduced and sold without authorisation.

Screenshots of Carousell listings

Immediately after confirming the infringement, we engaged a licensed private investigation firm to gather admissible evidence for legal proceedings. The investigative steps included:

  • Conducting trap purchases to obtain infringing copies directly from the seller
  • Documenting communication trails, transaction details, and listings on Carousell
  • Establishing the identity of the seller behind the account
  • Obtaining the residential address and other relevant particulars of the individual involved
  • Preparing a complete chain of evidence suitable for submission to the courts

The findings conclusively identified Michelle Vera Lee Mei Jiao as the individual responsible for the unlawful reproduction and sale of our copyrighted materials.

Following the completion of the investigation, we proceeded to take formal legal action. A demand letter was served on Ms. Michelle Vera Lee Mei Jiao at her place of residence by our legal representatives, requiring her to cease all infringing activities and to compensate the company for damages suffered.

When the matter was not resolved, a Writ of Summons was filed and issued by the court, compelling her to appear before the court. This marked the formal commencement of our legal pursuit.

Writ of Summons issued to Ms. Michelle Vera Lee Mei Jiao

Over the course of the proceedings, the following took place:

  • Filing of the Statement of Claim and supporting affidavits
  • Submission of documentary evidence, including trap purchase records, screenshots, and investigator reports
  • Court-scheduled case conferences and compliance with procedural timelines
  • Hearing dates before the Registrar and Judge
  • Consideration of damages, statutory remedies, and costs
  • Multiple correspondences between legal counsels
  • Final assessment of statutory damages and legal costs pursuant to the Copyright Act

On 3 February 2022, judgment was entered in favour of PhD Education.

The court awarded:

  • Statutory damages of $6,000, and
  • Costs of legal proceedings payable to PhD Education (amount not disclosed here)

The total sum payable by Ms. Michelle Vera Lee Mei Jiao exceeded $15,000, thereby allowing PhD Education to commence bankruptcy proceedings should she fail to comply with the payment order. Ultimately, Ms. Michelle Vera Lee Mei Jiao fulfilled the payment obligations through monthly instalments, inclusive of interest accrued on the outstanding amounts.