KUCHING: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap has urged the public to remain vigilant against scams promising ‘easy money’ after a victim lost more than RM10,000 in such a case.
Yap said the victim was deceived by a scammer who promised to release a cheque worth over RM49,000 once a ‘commission’ was paid. However, after the money was transferred, the fraudster cut off all communication.
“This is a typical scam tactic designed to prey on unsuspecting victims. There is no such thing as free money falling from the sky. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is almost certainly a scam,” he said.
Yap pointed out several warning signs of such fraud, including demands for advance payments such as fees or commissions, pressure to act quickly, discouragement from verifying information, and communications originating from suspicious numbers or social media accounts.
He advised the public never to transfer money to unknown individuals or accounts and to always verify the authenticity of claims with official sources. He also reminded people not to share banking details, OTP codes, or identification documents with strangers.
“When in doubt, consult trusted family members or report the matter to the authorities immediately,” he added.
The victim has since been advised to lodge a police report, and Yap called on the community to spread awareness to help prevent others from falling prey.
We must stay alert and safeguard our hard-earned money and work together to prevent fraudsters from targeting unknowing victims” he said.
By Connie Chieng