RM25,500 lost to Internet 'lover'

By Ben Tan

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JOHOR BARU: Crime syndicates here are using the cyberspace relationships they have built through emails and social networking sites to cheat.

Police are currently investigating a case where a 47-year-old male lecturer fell victim to a syndicate that used an elaborate scheme popularly known as the "Customs Scam" to cheat him of RM25,500 last week.

In the case reported at the Taman Pelangi police station on Nov 17, the lecturer said he was deceived into forming a strong relationship with a British woman by the name of Linda Bells.

Having established his trust over two weeks, the woman wrote of an impending holiday to Malaysia and asking him to meet her at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The lecturer said in his report that he went to KLIA, but his Internet friend did not arrive.

Instead, he received a telephone call from a man claiming to be from the Royal Customs and Excise Department

The man alleged that the British women had been detained by Customs officers at the KLIA for not declaring STG250,000 (RM1.2 million)

Following several conversations, the man said the matter could be resolved upon the transfer of RM1,500, which later ballooned to RM25,500, into a bank account.

The lecturer also alleged that he received telephone calls from people claiming to represent the Royal Malaysian Customs in KLIA as well as the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, saying he could meet his friend at the Sultan Ismail Airport in Senai.

He eventually deposited RM25,500 into the bank account of a Malaysian. He only suspected something amiss when his "online friend" did not arrive at the Sultan Ismail Airport in Senai as promised the next day.

He then lodged a report with the police.

Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff said police had received many similar reports, including the latest email hoax on the late Indonesian President Suharto's alleged gold bullion.

"The public must not be gullible and fall prey to these tricksters. If in doubt, check with the relevant authorities," he said yesterday.

Mokhtar also advised the public to exercise caution when communicating and socialising in cyberspace.

"People must treat any unsolicited friendship through social networking sites and emails with suspicion."

RM300,000 lesap di Internet sebulan

 

 

 

22 November 2010

RM300,000 lesap di Internet sebulan

Oleh JUNHAIRI ALYASA
junhairi.alyasa@kosmo.com.my

BUKAN semua penjualan dalam talian merupakan penipuan tetapi jika pengguna tidak berhati-hati mereka menjadi mangsa. - Gambar hiasan

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KUALA LUMPUR – Para pembeli pelbagai barangan secara dalam talian melalui Internet di negara ini mengalami kerugian di antara RM200,000 hingga RM300,000 setiap bulan gara-gara tertipu dengan sindiket perniagaan yang sebenarnya tidak wujud.

Presiden Persatuan Pembekal Kandungan Mudah Alih, Azli Paat yang mendedahkan perkara itu berkata, jumlah tersebut berdasarkan lima hingga 10 peratus daripada keseluruhan transaksi urus niaga yang dibuat menerusi pelbagai kaedah pembayaran seperti kad kredit, perbankan Internet atau bayaran secara bersemuka bernilai RM2.5 juta hingga RM3 juta setiap bulan.

Setiap hari, rakyat di negara ini berbelanja kira-kira RM100,000 untuk membeli pelbagai produk secara dalam talian di Internet.

Katanya, terdapat empat proses penting ketika pembelian dalam talian iaitu carian Internet, pengesahan atau perjanjian pembelian, penghantaran dan pembayaran.

“Malangnya penipuan sering berlaku apabila proses ini tidak diikuti. Kaedah yang salah ialah pembayaran dahulu baru penghantaran menyebabkan barang tidak sampai kepada pembeli,” katanya ketika dihubungi Kosmo! semalam.