KUALA LUMPUR: Scammers preying on the desperation of childless couples are making TikTok their latest "hunting ground", giving false promises to victims and leaving them a few thousand ringgit poorer.
In one TikTok post, a scammer claiming to be an agent facilitating the adoption of babies said there was a baby up for adoption. Attached to the post are a photo of a newborn and a phone number.
When an interested party calls, they will be told where the baby was born, date and time of birth, the gender and the adoption fee — RM9,000 for a girl and RM8,000 for a boy.
The scammer promises a hassle-free process and gives assurances that the adoptive parents' names will be on the baby's birth certificate.
This can be done, the scammer claims, because he has "contacts" in several hospitals and the National Registration Department.
Once the hopeful couple agrees to the conditions, they will be asked to pay a "booking fee" of RM2,000. They will be told to pay the remainder when they meet the "agent" to pick up the baby.
But when the couple arrives at the agreed upon location, the agent and baby are nowhere to be seen. By then, calls to the agent will go to voicemail.
In some cases, before arranging for the "meet" with the couple, the scammers will ask for more money, claiming that the baby is ill and needs treatment.
David Marshel, a former Seberang Prai City Council councillor who now runs a non-governmental organisation, said three couples had gone to him for help after falling prey to the adoption scam.
"Two couples have lodged police reports, in Ipoh, Perak, and in Seberang Perai, Penang."
The Malaysian Tamilar Kural founder said he had reported to TikTok the accounts belonging to scammers, but the social media platform did not take down the account or the posts.
Marshel said he had run the scammers' phone and bank account numbers through the police's Semak Mule portal and the website showed that the numbers had been flagged as belonging to scammers.
He said multiple police reports were linked to the numbers.
"I tried messaging those phone numbers, pretending to be interested in adopting. I was given details about the adoption process and account numbers I need to deposit money into."
Marshel said he was given a different number from those provided to the victims who sought his help.
"I suspect the syndicate uses different bank accounts to avoid detection."
He urged the police to act as the scammers were still operating even though their bank and phone numbers had been flagged.
One victim, who spoke to the New Straits Times on condition of anonymity, said she was scammed of RM5,500.
She said she and her husband had been childless for 12 years and wanted to adopt.
"The 'agent' was very convincing. She gave regular updates and frequently shared photos of the baby we wanted to adopt.
"We were told to pay RM2,500 as a booking fee and the balance would be paid when we got the baby from her.
"Two weeks after that, we were asked to pay another RM3,000 for the documentation process and to buy essentials for the baby."
The couple paid the RM3,000 and never heard from the agent again. Attempts to call the agent proved futile.
"We did not lodge a police report because we were ashamed."
When the NST reached out to Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, he said police would investigate the issue.
He said if people were really selling babies, it would fall under a different department.
"If it is a scam, then it is a commercial crime. If there are such advertisements online, they are fraudulent and police will investigate them.
"It is similar to advertisements for crowdfund assistance (that are fake). These are offences."
Ramli urged the public not to be easily taken in by advertisements on social media.
"Provide information to the police so that we can verify the authenticity of such advertisements.
"Serious action can be taken against those advertising babies for sale," he said.