KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians need to be vigilant about the rising threat of online scams as they are becoming increasingly serious and dangerous.
The warning came today from MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong.
He warned the public to be alert and to avoid falling victim to scams, especially online scams, adding that online scammers used various tactics and would target individuals in different ways.
Present with him were four online scam victims. They alleged that they were duped after getting loans from online money lenders but were later deceived and defrauded by the lenders.
One complainant, driver Kum Kum Leong, 70, had to repay a loan taken out by his son in Singapore.
Chong said the complainant's son, Kum Peng Fatt, 45, had borrowed 500 Singapore dollars, equivalent to RM1,750, from a money lender through WhatsApp. However, the lender later demanded 2,000 Singapore dollars, which is the equivalent of RM7,000, but the son did not make the payment.
He said the complainant then paid RM3,400, double the original amount, to the money lender but the scammer demanded an additional RM4,888 for a final settlement which the complainant refused to pay.
"When the payment was not made, the complainant's house was attacked with two petrol bombs, and a defamation flyer was distributed in the area to defame the family," he said.
The second complainant, Tan Yuan Jun, 23, borrowed RM9,500 from nine loan shark scammers. Instead of RM9,500 she only received RM1,400.
Chong said she had paid RM15,000 so far to settle debts with seven loan sharks with his help and via negotiations.
The third complainant, Koh Keng Hong, 44, was offered a RM2,000 loan by a scammer to tide over expenses. He was subsequently harassed by two loan sharks and had to pay more for the initial loan.
Another complainant, Lam Kwei Cheu, 71, allegedly borrowed money from a money lending company that he encountered online on Facebook.
"He was asked to take a RM10,000 loan and told to pay RM400 for documentation fees. Then he was told to pay another RM900 for the loan to go through but he refused to pay. He had to forfeit the RM400 paid earlier," said Chong.
He added the complainant was harassed and threatened by the loan shark for not paying the remaining RM900.
Chong said as of today, he had received 23 cases of online scams and scammers would persistently demand money and engage in blackmail once any loan was taken.