FB post asking donations to bail out delivery riders is a scam, say police

PETALING JAYA: A Facebook post, urging people to donate for the bail of several food delivery riders arrested for their alleged involvement in an assault case, is a scam, say police.

Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said a police officer from Petaling Jaya CID lodged a report on the issue at around 7.15pm on Saturday (June 12).

"The complainant lodged the report after seeing a post on the Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Pembela Islam Facebook page about a flash donation drive for the supposed bail of the five food delivery riders.

"The post also stated that the five were arrested'," he said in a statement on Sunday (June 13).

He said the post claimed it needed between RM3,000 and RM4,000 per rider and urged all donations to be channelled to a CIMB account.

"We refute their claims as we have not asked for any payment of bail for the arrested suspects.

"We believe an individual or association is trying to take advantage of the situation by collecting donations for personal gain," he said, adding that investigations into fraud under Section 420 of the Penal have been opened.

ACP Mohamad Fakhrudin said they were also investigating the case under Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act for misuse of networks or networking facilities.

He urged the public to not be easily duped by posts on social media asking for donations.

"The public can also check with the police beforehand as a method of early prevention before falling prey to scams on social media," he said.

The post was made after five delivery riders and a customer were arrested for allegedly assaulting a man at Sungai Way here on Friday (June 11).

One of the riders also lodged a report claiming that the 29-year-old victim, also a customer, used a name on the delivery app, which was deemed religiously insensitive.

The complainant took a screenshot of the name and shared it with other riders who went to confront the customer at his house.

The customer was then assaulted by the riders before they brought him to the Sungai Way police station. They themselves were also arrested for the assault.

Those with information on the case can contact Selangor police hotline at 03-2052 9999 or visit the nearest police station.