Big mistake buying online

KUALA LUMPUR: He wanted a penis enlarger and paid RM450 online for the device.

What he received, instead, was a magnifying glass with the instruction “Do not use in sunlight”.

The insulted customer, known only as Ong, from Seri Kembangan, was among many shoppers who had fallen prey to online scams, losing thousands of ringgit.

MCA Public Service and Complaints Depart-ment chairman Datuk Seri Michael Chong said Ong was among three people who came to him to complain that they had been duped by online scammers this year.

Another complainant sought assistance after being conned into paying RM78,000 for a Yamaha water scooter which was never delivered to him.

“He (the buyer) was not able to track down the seller,” Chong told a press conference here yesterday to warn buyers to be cautious when making online orders for any product.

He said another complainant ordered a smartphone of a reputable brand but when the product arrived, it was found that the components were not that of the original brand.

Twelve victims of online scams have sought assistance from Chong’s department since 2012.

“Both men and women are equally vulnerable to these scams.

“Scammers lure their victims by offering to sell their products at a low price.

“Often, these items never get to their customers. In some cases, customers get the wrong product,” said Chong, adding that one of the dangers of purchasing products online was that there was no way of telling if the items were safe to handle or if they were certified by Sirim.

“One of my previous complainants bought a cooking pot online that exploded after a few days of use. The person nearly died in the incident,” he said.