SABAK BERNAM: A syndicate running a land lease scam involving ventures to build telecommunication towers has claimed more victims with a couple being conned out of RM114,000.
The couple, in their 40s, thought they were on to a good thing when a man claiming to be a Datuk and the proprietor of a major telecommunication firm handed them RM50,000 in cash as deposit to lease their land in Parit Baru, in Sungai Air Tawar here.
Eager to make more easy money, the couple entered into another deal with the Datuk’s “representatives” to acquire a piece of land in Sabah, only to find they had been swindled.
Sabak Bernam CID chief Asst Supt Mohd Hashim Kamarudin said the victims, were first approached by two men on Jan 7 at their home in Parit Baru.
“The men introduced themselves as the telecommunication company’s representatives and told the couple they had been sent to negotiate rent for their land to build a new tower,” he said in an interview.
ASP Mohd Hashim said the couple agreed to accept RM50,000 as deposit for leasing their 18m by 18m plot of land and a monthly sum of RM3,200 for the lease.
During a subsequent meeting, the Datuk handed RM50,000 to the couple and excused himself.
The representatives then continued talking about plans to acquire some land in Sabah and the couple subsequently agreed to be partners.
A week later, on instructions from the men, the couple deposited RM114,000 into a bank account.
However, when they failed to reach the representatives and the Datuk last week, the couple lodged a police report here.
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