Police are advising the public to check thoroughly when they receive messages from friends who allegedly want to borrow money via the WhatsApp application.
Recently, authorities discovered that a modus operandi used by a fraudulent syndicate is sending messages requesting to borrow money using the identity of an acquaintance or individual known to the victim.
According to Berita Harian, Sentul District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Beh Eng Lai, said that last year, they received 193 police reports from victims of such scams involving losses reaching RM6.021 million.
He mentioned that such fraudulent tactics are still being detected in recent days. His party received a complaint from a man after finding out that his identity was being used by an impostor to make a loan, on 13 January.
The complainant, who is also a 59-year-old trader, claimed that at first he failed to open the WhatsApp application on his mobile phone and uninstalled the application.
“He then downloaded the application again but it still could not be used because the WhatsApp verification code was still not sent to his mobile phone,” he said in a statement, today.
He said the man then received a phone call from a female friend asking if the complainant had sent a message to borrow money.
The complainant denied the matter and suspected that there were other individuals who used his identity to lend money before making a police report.
“The results of the investigation found that more than 20 of the complainant’s contacts were contacted by the individual in disguise,” he said.
Eng Lai also said the public is advised to be wary with WhatsApp calls and messages received by making a thorough assessment and review in advance to avoid being a victim of fraud.
“As a precautionary measure, the public is advised to check by browsing the website of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) at https://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule/ to check the accounts involved in any fraud cases,” he said.
“We also call on the public to channel any information related to this syndicate or any suspicious activity to the Sentul District Police Headquarters at 03-40482222, Kuala Lumpur Police Hotline at 03-2115 9999, or any nearby police station,” he added.
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