By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 12: A local company lost RM50,065 after falling victim to a scam syndicate impersonating Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak to procure air purifiers.
Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) chief Milton Foo revealed that the scam began when the company received a purchase order through WhatsApp from a man known as “Mr Jong”, who falsely claimed to be a senior officer from JKR Sarawak.
Jong allegedly placed an order for 13 units of a specific brand of air purifier on two separate invoices.
“Because the company did not supply that particular brand, Jong, posing as a JKR officer, instructed them to purchase the air purifiers from another supplier in Sabah,” Foo explained at a press conference at his office today.
The victim was then given a contact number belonging to a woman identified as “Isabel”, who claimed to represent a Sabah-based supplier of the air purifiers. The company proceeded to make two separate payments, RM20,025 on Nov 4 and RM30,040 on Nov 6, which totalled RM50,065.
“The payments were made to two different bank accounts under two separate company names, one bearing ‘Sdn Bhd’ and another trading company. When the victim tried to contact both Jong and Isabel later, their numbers had already been blocked,” he said, adding that a police report was lodged on Nov 11 after the products were never delivered.
Foo said he had verified with JKR Sarawak that no officer by the name of Jong exists, and the department had not issued any such procurement order.
“The scammer used fake documents that appeared genuine, complete with government logos, stamps, and even a signature under the title ‘Ketua Penolong Pengarah (W17)’. It looked so real that it could easily mislead companies into believing it was a legitimate government transaction,” he said.
He urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the two Sabah-based bank accounts and the individuals identified as Jong and Isabel, as they could be part of a wider scam network using mule accounts.
“This is a serious case. If scammers can impersonate JKR Sarawak, they can also impersonate any government department at both the State and federal levels. I strongly urge the police to take swift action,” Foo stressed.
He also called on businesses and the public to exercise extreme caution when dealing with purported government procurement or tenders, especially those made through informal communication channels such as WhatsApp.
“Always verify before making any payment. If you’re unsure, please contact me and I will help you verify, free of charge, whether the offer is genuine or fake,” he assured.
Foo said the purpose of his press conference was to alert the business community about the growing sophistication of commercial scams targeting companies rather than individuals.
“These scammers are very smart and daring. They are no longer just targeting ordinary people, but also companies. So please stay vigilant and never trust any offer or document without proper verification,” he warned. — DayakDaily
