KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans continue to fall prey to scams, with accumulated losses of over RM14.6mil recorded from January to March 15 this year.
Police said that out of this amount, a total of 214 cases were online scams with losses of more than RM11.12mil recorded.
Kota Kinabalu acting OCPD Supt Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman said that between this period, police opened 290 investigation papers on commercial crimes, with false sales cases being among the most serious.
“From January up to March 15, we recorded 46 cases of fake vehicle sales and purchase, with losses of around RM328,000 reported,” he said in a statement on Thursday (March 19).
He explained how these scams work, that is when owners advertise their vehicles for sale on social media platforms, syndicates use the same photo and other details to advertise on other platforms.
There, the scammers would put up cheaper prices for the supposed same vehicle, and when victims contact them, they would ask the victims to go to the real owners’ addresses to view the car, said Supt Syed Lot.
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“At the same time, the scammers would contact the real owners, pretending to be interested in their cars for sale and lie that they will send someone to inspect the cars,” he said.
There are also instances where scammers would deal solely through social media or via phone without even meeting the seller or buyer, he said.
“Therefore, it is very important for us to be wary of online sales, especially those offering lower prices. It is also better to verify with the real owners or real sellers and buyers before continuing with any deals,” Supt Syed Lot said.
Other than that, there have been many cases of false homestays advertised online, he said, adding that these happen during festive or holiday seasons when families are looking for accommodations for their short getaways.
He urged people to be extra vigilant when dealing with online businesses because many tactics are being used to dupe their victims.
