JOHOR BARU: A 33-year-old lorry driver lost RM150 after falling victim to a scam promoting financial aid purportedly under the Tunku Abdul Jalil Cancer Foundation (TLJCF).
The aid was offered on a TikTok live broadcast by an individual who claimed to be the foundation's representative.
The lorry driver lodged a police report yesterday, when the promised funds were not banked into his bank account, after paying the RM150 registration fee.
Johor police chief Commissioner M. Kumar said the victim came across the TikTok live broadcast on Aug 15.
The cash aid of between RM3,000 and RM15,000 were offered in six packages.
Labelled A to F, the packages came with registration fees ranging between RM50 and RM300.
The victim contacted the scammer via WhatsApp and was instructed to pay the registration fee via a QR code linked to an e-wallet.
The financial aid was supposed to be transferred directly into his bank account within 24 hours after the registration.
That didn't happen, and the victim's attempts to contact the 'officer' proved futile as the scammer had blocked his number.
Kumar said investigations revealed that the foundation did not broadcast the alleged assistance, neither did it offer financial assistance packages with registration fees.
"The foundation had no involvement in the alleged offer," he said today in a statement.
The case is investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Kumar urged the public to remain cautious and verify any financial assistance offers, especially those tied to well-known organisations, before making any cash transfers.
The late Tunku Laksamana of Johor, Tunku Abdul Jalil Sultan Ibrahim, who was diagnosed with liver cancer in August 2014, inspired TLJCF's formation.
Recognising the financial burden patients and their families faced, he shared his vision with his father, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King Of Malaysia.
With the Johor royal family's support, the foundation was established on June 26, 2015.
The 25-year-old Tunku Abdul Jalil lost his battle to cancer on Dec 5, 2015