KUALA LUMPUR: Despite earlier warnings and cases exposed last month, foreign students, especially those from China, are still falling victim to smooth-talking scammers offering fake home rentals in the Klang Valley.
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said his office was approached last week by three Chinese students who lost between RM800 and RM6,000 to a syndicate behind such a scam.
The scammer allegedly posed as an agent from a reputable real estate company and used the credentials and photos of legitimate real estate negotiators to advertise the properties online.
However, what the fraudster had shown the victims were actually furnished apartments rented for a day through Airbnb.
Chong said that after making arrangements for the students to view the units, the scammer would send an accomplice to meet them instead.
"He would claim he is busy and send a non-Mandarin-speaking local to attend to the victims. We believe this is to prevent proper communication or limit detailed questioning between the victims and the accomplice.
“Then, falsified paperwork carrying the names of legitimate property agents is produced to hoodwink the students into placing their deposits using a QR code linked to a popular payment platform. Once the funds go through, the scammer is no longer reachable.
“What puzzles us is how the scammer managed to register a wallet name strikingly similar to that of a genuine property agency with the payment platform," he said.
Chong said the victims only realised they had been fleeced when they attempted to move into the units they had viewed earlier and contacted the real property agency.
He believes there are many more who have fallen victim and urged them to come forward and lodge police reports.
Meanwhile, Glory Lands & Property principal and founder Leslie Low, whose agency’s name was one of those misused, said he was taken aback when he received several calls from foreign students who had been cheated.
"The fraudster had registered his payment wallet as Glory Lands and Property, which, except for the ‘and’ that is an ampersand symbol in our company name, is almost identical," he told a press conference.
Apart from the victims, Low and a real estate negotiator have also lodged police reports.
The department’s legal adviser, James Ee, advised foreign students to verify the credentials of property agents and the authenticity of tenancy agreements.
"It is frustrating to be cheated like this, but I hope foreign students are not disheartened, as there are many genuine real estate agents who can assist them in securing rental units.
“We advise foreign students to avoid wiring payments and instead make transactions directly with property agencies. This will prevent them from getting scammed," he said.
Last month, Chong revealed 10 similar cases at a press conference and warned foreign students to be wary of such impostors.
