Used item seller loses RM15,000 in phone scam

KUALA LUMPUR: Scammers ran off with RM15,000 after duping a victim into believing that they had been donating to a welfare fund.

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Asst Comm Mohd Mahidisham Ishak, in a statement Sunday (Oct 17), said that the scammer called the victim, a used item seller, claiming to be a government officer.

"The suspect called asking for donations to the Pertubuhan Kebajikan Nurqaseh PDRM (Perqaseh) fund. With the donations, the victim was also promised that the authorities would ease the process of obtaining a licence to operate the used item business.

"Between April and September, the victim made three transactions, amounting to RM15,000 to four individuals claiming to be representatives of Perqaseh. However the promised licence was nowhere to be seen," he said.

Police investigations confirmed that no Perqaseh representative had received the donations.

A report was lodged on Oct 15.

He added that such licences must be applied through the official channels and the police had never elected any third party representative to expedite the process.