Sibu MP warns public of rising online scams after man loses RM50k in watch fraud

File photo for illustration purposes only. Photo credit: BearyBoo from Pixabay

SIBU, Augu 21: The public is urged to stay vigilant against the ever-evolving tactics employed by online scammers, Sibu MP Oscar Ling said today.

Ling explained that fraudsters often first establish a rapport with their victims, building trust through casual conversations before launching their schemes.

“They befriend people and chat with them to slowly lower their guard,” he said.

The scammers then entice victims with seemingly “profitable” opportunities, as seen in a recent case involving the “selling watches to earn commissions” scam.

A middle-aged man sought Ling’s assistance after losing nearly RM50,000 of his hard-earned money to such a scheme.

“The fraudsters demanded RM25,000 as ‘tax’ for a supposed RM270,000 commission the victim had earned from buying and selling watches. That’s when he realised something was wrong and sought help,” Ling shared.

Ling’s assistant verified the authenticity of the watch company website and subsequently helped the victim file a police report.

“On July 9, the victim connected with a female netizen through Facebook. She claimed to work in Kuala Lumpur, and they later continued chatting via WhatsApp,” said Ling.

After weeks of communication, the suspect told the victim she was involved in a business of buying and selling watches at a shopping mall in West Malaysia. She boasted of earning substantial commissions ranging from 8 to 10 per cent from this “business.”

Ling urged the public to be cautious of online relationships and offers that seem too good to be true, emphasising the importance of verifying information before making financial commitments. — DayakDaily