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Showing posts with label frauds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frauds. Show all posts

Tuesday 2 August 2022

Scammers getting smarter now and so should we

 

 

Scammers keep getting bolder and bolder with their extortion methods. From impersonating landlords to illegal debt collection tactics, there is no shortage of ways scammers will try to separate you from your money. Be aware of these five red flags when getting on the phone, checking your email, or using social media. This can help you avoid getting trapped in a conversation with a scammer in the first place.

 

Whether it’s through email, text, phone calls or direct messages, scams seem to be everywhere on the internet. Not all scams are obvious and many specifically target small business owners. Learn how to recognize a scam, protect your business and know what to do if you become a victim of a scam.


Being forearmed with knowledge is key to not falling prey to well-trained scammers

 Arm yourself with knowledge to identify a swindler

RIGHT before my eyes, I witnessed my friend falling for a classic Macau scam over the phone.

The call from a “government official” had him hooked. Frantically, I gestured to my friend to end the call but he was like a man possessed.

Someone on the other end of the line, claiming to be a government official, informed my worried friend that he had been implicated in a crime of sorts and the only way to escape the consequences was to transfer his money into a “safe account”.

After 45 minutes on the phone, he sent RM5,000 to one such bank account, and this happened on his pay day!

Recalling the incident, my friend said the caller was so convincing and believable that it was hard to cut the line.

This incident came to mind when the long arm of the law finally caught up with Tedy Teow, the founder of MBI (Mobility Beyond Imagination) well-known for its superlative money-making scheme.

He was detained in Thailand about a week ago and is believed to be wanted for questioning over several money-laundering cases in a few countries.

From what I could tell, the news failed to generate much interest on the ground, especially in Penang where the scheme used to have a large number of followers.

It could be that many of his victims were resigned to the fact that their money was as good as gone, even though Teow got arrested.

I have many acquaintances who put money into MBI. A few earned some returns. Most did not.

Now, it is “successful” Macau scams that are dominating the chatter in coffeeshops, offices, watering holes and messaging groups.

Indeed, teachers, engineers, doctors and even a politician were among the prized scalps of these so-called officers from banks or government and law enforcement agencies.

In May, a businessman from Port Dickson with a net worth of over Rm100mil lost a record Rm21mil in one such scam after he allegedly revealed his bank Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC) numbers to a “bank official”.

A sizeable number of scam victims were retirees who lost their hard-earned savings.

As pointed out in one news report, these scammers actually go through a month-long boot camp conducted by professional trainers before they are sent out for con jobs.

Psychology, negotiation skills, the art of persuasion, they learn it all.

They go through gauntlets of role-playing, with one being the “victim” and the other the scam caller, all under the watchful eyes of the trainers.

It has become challenging these days for lawmen to outfox the syndicates which have members even sitting for exams before being certified competent enough to man scam call centres.

And now we hear of increasing cases of dubious bank transfers: money being unknowingly transferred out of savings and fixed deposit accounts after victims were said to have downloaded phone apps.

Protect yourself by not downloading apps from dubious sites!

Then there are the online lovers to whom the lonely give their money even though they have never met face to face.

For those not in the know, this actually happens gradually.

First, the amounts asked for are small. These are quickly returned with a small but appreciable profit. Only after trust is established will the scammer ask for the big amounts.

The situation has never been more urgent as there are still victims who fall prey to such tactics almost on a daily basis.

If you get a call from a scammer, stay calm and rightfully hesitate when asked to reveal your personal banking and user login details.

In the course of a true fraud investigation, government and law enforcement agencies will not transfer calls among themselves. Bank Negara will not transfer your calls to Bukit Aman and vice versa, and never call back the number that was given.

Remember, the police will never threaten to arrest you over the phone; they prefer to do it face to face.

And if it’s a pre-recorded message, just hang up.

Most importantly, if you are a law-abiding citizen who has done nothing wrong, there is indeed nothing to fear. 

By TAN SIN CHOW

sctan@star.com.my
              
 
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CLICK TO ENLARGE Entrepreneur, philanthropist, get-rich-quick ‘hero’ wanted in M’sia and China He lorde
 

Saturday 23 April 2022

The telltale signs of a scam, Macau scams: Spot, avoid and report scammers; It’s all in the details

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Victim usually fall prey due to fear, naivety or greed

Fear, naivety and greed may have caused victims to fall prey to scammers who cheat them of thousands of ringgit, says MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong.

He said aside from making phone calls, scammers would also write to the victim or even meet them in person.

“They claim to be government officers and they want you to park the money (temporarily) and you can take it back later – so the money will not be confiscated,” he said while elaborating on how some victims were conned.

“Are there such people who are kind enough to ask someone to hide their money? When I asked, the victims could not answer me,” he added.

Chong said some victims revealed that the scammers who claimed to be government officers had spoken to them in Mandarin, which is uncommon as the medium of instruction used by civil servants is either Bahasa Malaysia or English.

Some of them have also received calls after office hours, which is out of the norm.

“They will frighten victims by saying that they have been charged with money laundering or their property will be confiscated. Many victims get duped because they are scared.

“Let me ask one thing: if you have not done something wrong, then why are you scared? The conmen will know that you have done something wrong from the way they talk to you, and they will scam you further,” he added.

Chong said most of the victims will be told not to divulge any information to their family.

He cited a case where the scammer had accompanied the elderly victim to the bank to withdraw money. They would, however, wear a cap or sunglasses to ensure they cannot be identified or captured by CCTVs. The scammers would also address the victim as their parent to avert suspicion.

He said some victims were told not to cut the (phone) call until the “job” was done, and this could sometimes stretch for hours.

As for those who were lured with the promise of big prizes, Chong noted that simple logic applied here.

“If you didn’t buy any lottery ticket, how do you expect to strike the lottery?” he said.

There is also no clear demographic of scam victims.

“Age is not a factor but of course elderly victims are easier to target,” he said.

Chong also said banks should also be alert when elderly citizens are seen withdrawing huge amounts at one go.

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 Macau scams: Spot, avoid and report scammers

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KUALA LUMPUR: Despite constant reminders and notifications, people are still being duped by Macau Scams.

Last year, 1,585 Macau scam cases were reported nationwide resulting in RM560.8mil in losses.

This year, the number has already reached 1,258 cases between Jan 1 and April 19, involving RM65.4mil in losses.

ALSO READ: Got your EPF money? Beware the scammers

The Macau Scam modus operandi often starts with a phone call from someone pretending to be an officer from a bank, government or law enforcement agency or debt collector.

The scammer will then claim that the potential victim owes money, has an unpaid fine or has even been implicated in a crime.

The victim will then be given a choice to settle the matter – by transferring his funds to a mule account designated by the “officer” or by facing “dire consequences”.

These unsuspecting victim will then be asked to make payments to get him off the hook.

Hundreds of millions of ringgit have been lost to these scammers, who pose as officers from government agencies such as the police, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and even the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

ALSO READ: It's all in the details

The range of victims have also expanded to include those in the professional line such as doctors and lawyers.

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Asst Comm Mohd Mahidisham Ishak said several factors may address why Macau scam cases are still occurring.

“We believe it is a combination of a few things.

While we have conducted various campaigns to increase awareness, it could be that the message has not reached society thoroughly.

“We have utilised various platforms, including social media and public transport to spread more awareness on Macau scams.

“We will step up such campaigns to include having talks in schools to ensure that knowledge on such scams reach the masses,” said ACP Mohd Mahidisham.

Changes in the scammers’ modus operandi might have also contributed to such cases still occurring, ACP Mohd Mahidisham added.

“Scammers have posed as officers from the police force, Customs department, BNM and LHDN in the past.

“As mentioned in the past, scammers also used the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to mask their phone numbers.

“We hope the public will remain vigilant against such tactics,” he said.

ALSO READ: Recent cases of Macau scams tell a sorry tale

Victims not informing family members or authorities due to embarrassment could be another factor for such cases, he lamented.

ACP Mohd Mahidisham is also concerned that such scam methods have become more elaborate.

“Usually, the harassment by the scammers will last between one to two hours.

“However, since last month, we have been recording cases where the victims were harassed for about a week. It is important for family members to act if they spot any changes or peculiar actions (faced by the affected family member),” he said.

ACP Mohd Mahidisham also reminded the public that agencies such as the police do not conduct investigations over the phone.

“Witnesses or those who can assist the investigation will be required to make an appointment so that their statements will be recorded at the police station or headquarters.

“Don’t be fooled by such calls ... better yet, if you do not recognise the phone number, do not answer the call,” he stressed.

The public should never divulge any banking details to a third party, he added.

“Banking details should be kept safe. Don’t register the phone number of others for your bank account,” he said.

ACP Mohd Mahidisham urged those with enquiries to contact the CCID Scam Response Centre at 03-26101559/1599, Whatsapp the CCID info-line at 013-2111222, or log on to semakmule.rmp.gov.my.

“Utilise the facilities that we have prepared for the public.

“Preventing and busting scams, especially Macau scams, remain our priority,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Invesigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din recently said Macau scam syndicates were using a new tactic to target Tabung Haji account holders.

“We have recorded 65 cases amounting to RM3.6mil in losses already recorded.

“Based on investigations, these activities are being conducted by Macau scam syndicates.

“They would make calls to the victims and intimidate the victims with allegations of involvement in criminal activities and outstanding credit card debts among other tactics,” he said.

He said the syndicates would then ask for the victims to disclose their banking information to clear them of any wrongdoing.

“We have now detected cases where the syndicates have withdrawn money from Tabung Haji accounts linked to conventional bank accounts belonging to the victims.

“The convenience of Internet banking facilities by Tabung Haji and other conventional banks has made this possible,” he said, adding that investigations revealed the victims had provided banking information to unknown individuals over the phones.

He said as a result, the victims not only lost money from their bank accounts but also money from their pilgrimage fund accounts.

Source link.  

Macau scams: It’s all in the details

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PETALING JAYA: Well-choreographed storylines backed with the victims’ personal information and the ability to instil fear over possible repercussions from the authorities – these are some of the reasons many are still falling for Macau scams despite wide media coverage.

Hafishah Ab Hamid, 37, who lost over RM30,000, said she was pressured into believing her identity was stolen, which not only caused her to have RM40,000 in income tax arrears with the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), but also “a wanted person notice” for her involvement in money laundering and drug trafficking.

ALSO READ: Got your EPF money? Beware the scammers

She received a letter purportedly from LHDN before receiving a phone call on March 29.

“I was hesitant at first, but I was transferred to a ‘Sarjan Nadia’ who asked me to Google ‘Kota Baru police station’. She said I would receive a call from that number and I did, which is when I started to fall for the scam.

“This ‘Sarjan Nadia’ then called ‘Bukit Aman’ to check if I was involved in other activities ... the background noises were realistic – you could hear sirens, people yelling ‘emergency case’, and then an officer from ‘Bukit Aman’ informed me that I was involved in money laundering and drug trafficking.

“I started to panic, but she told me to not inform anyone, not even my husband.

“She said to imagine how my husband and children would feel if they knew,” she added.

ALSO READ: Recent cases of Macau scams tell a sorry tale

During the four-hour conversation, Hafishah was also transferred to “Datuk ACP Zul”, who was supposed to clear her name and suspend an arrest warrant issued in her name.

“‘Datuk ACP Zul’ asked for information on my bank accounts, and I told him everything, including my ASB (Amanah Saham Bumiputra) details. He told me to transfer my (ASB) money to my bank account so that they could check if the money was obtained legally,” she said.

The so-called Datuk ACP Zul also sent her an Android Package (APK) file, which is the file format used by the Android operating system for the installation of mobile apps.

“When I installed the app, a Bank Negara Malaysia logo appeared and I had to provide details such as my bank, full name, identification number, user name and password.

“I didn’t suspect anything at that time because I had just transferred my money (from ASB) to my account and I saw that my balance was RM32,000.

“I didn’t think I was being cheated because I didn’t transfer money to their account, but what I didn’t know was that they transferred my money to another account,” said Hafishah.

It is understood that the app she installed allowed the scammer to access her phone and obtain her information, which included her Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC) security number.

“I didn’t get back my money – I was told that they transferred my money in stages so it is very difficult to trace (it). Bank Negara said they couldn’t freeze the scammer’s bank account.

“The scammer contacted me the next day. I informed the police, but I was told to just block their number.

“So I feel sad because even though we have their number and they are actively using it, nothing can be done to trace them,” she said, adding that she hopes others will educate themselves and not fall for such scams.

ALSO READ: Spot, avoid and report scammers

Nurul Najwa Ibrahim, 23, was in confinement when she received a call from “Pos Laju” on March 10, claiming that she posted illegal items – bank and identifications cards – and these were held up at the Kuantan police station.

“The caller said I needed to lodge a police report because perhaps someone was using my personal information. When I said that I didn’t post anything, and he asked me to press ‘9’ before I was transferred to a ‘Corporal Nasir Ahmad’,” she said.

To convince her, Najwa was asked to Google the Kuantan police station phone number and she was told to expect a call from that number.

“‘Corporal Nasir’ gave (me) two options: they would issue an arrest warrant or I could cooperate.

“He sent me a bank account number and instructed me to bank in RM3,000 so he could check the source of my money.

“After a while, I thought to myself, how could they check if my money came from illegal means unless they had my bank statement? That was when I realised that I had been duped.

“But the fact that they knew my full name, my identification number and they called me using the same number as the one I Googled made me believe that they were genuine,” said Najwa.

She said she hopes that the authorities would do more to curb this scam menace.

“The public should be wary – don’t be afraid even if they claim that they have ‘police cases’ on us,” she added.

Desperate to get a new car, Mazura Mat Esa, 41, ended up falling into depression after being manipulated by a scammer on March 25.

“I saw an advertisement on an online marketplace and contacted the seller who claimed he had submitted my loan application to Maybank the same night.

“The next day, a ‘Maybank officer’ calling himself ‘Maran’ phoned and said he would help expedite the bank process for RM2,000.

“The way he spoke was so convincing and he could answer all my questions,” she said.

Mazura transferred a total of RM5,000 as “processing fees” and to book a licence plate number.

Until today, she still hasn’t received her dream car.

 

Monday 4 January 2021

Big Macau Scam ring busted

 

Syndicate invested in cryptocurrency worth more than RM336mil


JOHOR BARU: Police have crippled a major Macau Scam syndicate which used its ill-gotten gains to buy property and invest in cryptocurrency totalling more than RM336mil.

At least 12 suspects – nine men and three women – were arrested in a series of raids in Penang and Kuala Lumpur last month.

Among the suspects were company directors. 


Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay ( pic) said in Ops Pelican 2.0, police uncovered an intricate web of how the syndicate operated, including the identity of the mastermind, numerous mule accounts, fake companies and investments.

Victims who have been duped by the syndicate would first be told to transfer money into a mule account.

“The money is then channelled to another mule account belonging to another company,” he said, adding that all the mule accounts belonged to syndicate members and were designed not to leave a money trail.

Comm Ayob said the funds were then transferred to a property developer in Penang to purchase property and invest in Bitcoins.

“This modus operandi aimed to avoid detection from the authorities and was their way of money laundering,” he said during a press conference at the Johor police headquarters yesterday.

To date, police have found 91 mule accounts comprising 73 company bank accounts and 18 personal accounts.

“Since June last year, some RM25mil has been used to make progress payment for 100 condominium and commercial units in George Town,” he said.

Based on the Sale and Purchase Agreements, two companies are involved in property acquisition in 2015 totalling RM336mil.

Comm Ayob said the two companies belonged to the 55-year-old mastermind who has a criminal record. He is believed to have fled the country and is currently hiding in Thailand.

The man’s two sons are directors in the companies.

“Our investigations showed that some of the proxies and directors in the bogus companies are paid RM16,000 monthly,” he said.

The 12 suspects, aged between 29 and 68, have since been released on police bail.

Police are probing the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

Source link

 

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Here’s how Macau scammers conned Malaysians out of RM256mil this year

 Johor Coronation

 

Hello, Penang police calling ... Macau Scammers reap RM2.7mil 



How to outsmart smartphone scammers ?

You carry your smartphone everywhere. But the way you use it could leave you vulnerable to specific forms of identity theft, including robocall scams and hackers looking to hijack your phone number. — AP

Tuesday 1 December 2020

Here’s how Macau scammers conned Malaysians out of RM256mil this year

Johor Coronation Nation INTERACTIVE: Here’s how Macau scammers conned Malaysians out of RM256mil this year How many tricks are there up a Macau scammer's sleeves? Find out here!  

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PETALING JAYA: Macau scammers, who have conned Malaysians out of a whopping RM256mil this year, specialise in tricking victims into believing they’re in a jam that they can only get out of by handing over money.

How do they do it?

It starts with a phone call. They introduce themselves either as a policeman, bank officer, PosLaju worker or various other fake identities.

Step two is the fake story.

They tell their potential victims that they are being investigated for money laundering, or that a package addressed to them has been seized by the police and found to contain illicit items. There are many other similar storylines they use.

Their motive is to scare victims into believing they’re in trouble... unless they transfer money into certain bank accounts, or set up “mule accounts” – bank accounts registered under the victim’s name but which are controlled by the scammers.

To find out what these criminals’ bag of tricks looks like, we studied all the news reports we could find about Macau scam cases in Malaysia this year, published by The Star and other local news media. 

 In all, the 71 news reports we examined were based on statements or media conferences by the police. 

https://clips.thestar.com.my/Interactive/scammercall/scamcalls.mp4

 
 
We also looked at statements from the police regarding overall Macau scam statistics, as well as advice from the police and other relevant authorities on how to identify and avoid being conned by these scammers.

Here’s what we found: Macau scammers have many fake stories and identities

From the news reports, we found that Macau scammers use at least 18 different stories to carry out their cons. Check them out in the graphic below:
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Some Macau scammers have also gone high tech.

After telling potential victims that they are suspected of having been involved in a crime, they would then ask them to download a computer application file or go to a website in order to enter their banking details.

The apps and website that the scammers create bear the logo of bodies such as Bank Negara Malaysia. 

 Source: Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JSJKPDRM/)

Source: Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JSJKPDRM/)Source: Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JSJKPDRM/)

Macau scammers, according to the news reports, impersonated officers from at least 10 different types of law enforcement agencies or financial institutions.

To make their con more convincing, they sometimes claim to be high ranking officials.

The following are some samples of just a few of the many actual fake identities used by some of the scammers and how they cheat their victims: 

https://view.genial.ly/5fb101bc8224a710119a4190

Following are the Macau Scam stories which The Star has carried since January this year, divided by the type of official the scammer impersonates. Click pause to manually scroll through the cards. Click on any card to read the full story,

 Housewife cheated out of RM60k by 'policeman' in Macau scam

 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/08/24/housewife-cheated-out-of-rm60k-by-039policeman039-in-macau-scamhttps://view.genial.ly/5fb101bc8224a710119a4190https://view.genial.ly/5fb101bc8224a710119a4190

Woman in Penang loses RM20,000 in Macau scam

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/06/15/woman-in-penang-loses-rm20000-in-macau-scam

Flourish logoInteractive content by Flourish

More than 1,000 Macau Scam cases have been brought to court this year

The sample of 71 news reports which The Star examined is just the tip of the iceberg when compared to the number of cases police receive.

On Nov 16, Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Zainuddin Yaacob said police recorded 5,218 Macau scam cases from January to October this year with losses amounting to RM256mil.

From the total cases recorded, the police managed to solve 2,676, with 1,420 cases charged in court.

Victims are mostly female and aged 51 and above

Comm Zainuddin said women make up the majority of victims with over 3,000 cases, adding that most of them were aged 51 and above.

The Star's analysis of cases reported in the media found the same victim profile trends. Flourish logoA Flourish data visualization

Here's Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador's advice to the public on how to avoid Macau scammers, specifically those who impersonate police personnel::


https://youtu.be/Yo04-aGjvgs

According to Abdul Hamid, we should not easily believe those who call us claiming to be policemen.

To verify that the caller is a policeman, he advised the public to insist on meeting with the caller at a police station.

He said the public should not reveal any details about their bank accounts to unknown callers.

There are many resources that provide advice on how to avoid becoming a scam victim, as well as timely alerts on the latest scammer tactics.

Among the most useful is the "Cyber Crime Alert Royal Malaysia Police" Facebook page of Bukit Aman's Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID).

The Facebook page can be accessed here..

Related posts:

Hello, Penang police calling ... Macau Scammers reap RM2.7mil


Many investors get their fingers burned in dubious money-making schemes M Mall in Penang where MBI investors can exchange their virtual...


How to outsmart smartphone scammers ?

You carry your smartphone everywhere. But the way you use it could leave you vulnerable to specific forms of identity theft, including robocall scams and hackers looking to hijack your phone number. — AP