KUALA LUMPUR: A man was left in disbelief when told that his two-year-old car had been sold to a new owner located some 100km from where he lived, just days after he surrendered the vehicle to repossessors.
The attempt to recover his vehicle turned into a more painful journey, as he said he had to struggle to get police support.
The victim, Hafiz (not his real name), claimed that he was asleep when a group of five agents came to his house to 'repossess' his car.
"They said I needed to pay RM3,770, which left me perplexed because my outstanding debt was just about RM2,000.
"They said there was no need for the usual bank transfer, I just had to pay them the money.
"However, I thought to myself that doing so might get me blacklisted.
"They also said that once I settled the figure, I would no longer be required to service my loan," he said.
The agents claimed they were representatives of the credit company from which he had obtained a loan, although they did not provide any documentation to verify their identities.
He said he was brought to a police station, where one of the agents gave a statement to the officer manning the counter.
Hafiz was later asked to sign the report, which stated his intention to hand over his car to a named person who wasn't even at the station and allow that person to continue using the car, and to relinquish all his responsibilities associated with the vehicle.
"The agent was the one who made the police report, I just sat next to him. He was the one who gave the statement, I didn't know anything.
"After they had finished with the report, they asked me to sign it, and I complied without reading, assuming it was part of their standard operating procedure for vehicle repossessions," he said.
Nine days after his car was repossessed, Hafiz settled all his outstanding dues and demanded the return of his vehicle.
"They were angry when I told them that I paid through the usual bank account and demanded that I pay an additional RM3,000 if I wanted my car back."
Hafiz later discovered that his car had been sold to a third party residing some 100km from his residence.
"They promoted my car in a WhatsApp group for Kereta Piang (cars repossessed in a loan takeover) and I contacted the seller, who admitted to selling it.
"I also managed to talk to the new owner who demanded RM5,000 if I wanted my car back," he said.
Hafiz filed two additional police reports, but alleged that police made little progress in recovering his car despite all the information he had on the whereabouts of the vehicles, including those holding his car.
When the New Straits Times Focus team contacted the state police chief, the reporter was informed that Hafiz's reports had been classified as 'No Offence Disclosed'.
"I was told by the head of the station that the issue has been resolved and both parties have been called in," said the reporter.
However, when told that Hafiz had yet to receive his car even after clearing all his outstanding debts, the state police chief advised him, through the reporter, to verify the status of his car — a suggestion Hafiz promptly followed.
"I was told that they are working on it. I am glad because only when the reporter informed the state police chief, did I see progress on my case," he said.
The police returned Hafiz's car to his home 21 days after it had disappeared.
The NST previously reported on the emergence of syndicates masterminded by repossession agents selling recovered vehicles at a lower price.
These syndicates, which have created an illegal market for such vehicles, would also offer new car owners "protection stickers" that would serve as a warning to dissuade honest repossessors from recovering these vehicles for banks.
It was also reported that the syndicates are exploiting police reports filed by registered owners to deceive buyers and inflate the prices of repossessed vehicles.