KAJANG: A married couple found themselves ensnared in a loan scam that escalated into threats and financial coercion after a dubious "money-lending company" unexpectedly deposited RM1,200 into their account on June 14.
The victim, Yuan, 44, recounted feeling anxious and intimidated when the company not only demanded repayment but also threatened his family members with a steep RM10,000 payment for a loan they never agreed to.
The ordeal began when Yuan's wife came across an online advertisement for a loan from a company named "Yayasan Madani," initially believing it to be legitimate due to its name association with a foundation.
Intrigued, she contacted the company via WhatsApp, providing personal and business details as requested to purportedly check eligibility.
"Initially, they mentioned we could secure a RM50,000 loan but needed to proceed with a trial loan of RM2,000, from which we would receive only RM1,200 in cash, with the remainder supposedly being a processing fee," Yuan explained during a press conference at DAPSY Bandar Mahkota Cheras.
Concerned about the high charges and unsure about the company's legitimacy, Yuan and his wife decided against proceeding with the loan.
However, they were shocked when the company informed them that RM1,200 had already been deposited into their account without authorisation.
"I contacted the agent to request a bank account but after making the money transfer, another agent contacted me and claimed not to have received the money," he said.
Attempts to return the money were met with resistance from the company, claiming the transaction was irreversible due to system closure.
Matters worsened when an agent alleged that Yuan mistakenly transferred the funds to another account and demanded a hefty RM10,000 repayment.
Distressed over the safety of their children and other family members, as the company possessed personal information obtained during the application process, Yuan and his wife immediately filed a police report.
They were advised to refrain from making any interest payments demanded and to return the transferred funds immediately.
Selangor DAP Complaints Bureau Chief Lee Wen Bin cautioned the public about such syndicates' fraudulent tactics, urging victims not to comply with unwarranted demands for interest payments and to swiftly return any mistakenly transferred funds.