Mini Cooper-Driving Con Artist Allegedly Swindled Over RM60,000 From Unsuspecting Sellers
The con artist’s modus operandi involves depositing checks into sellers’ accounts, only for the funds to disappear days later, leaving the victims empty-handed and searching for answers.
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The Malaysian phone trading community has been rocked by allegations that a crafty scammer has tricked unsuspecting sellers out of a staggering RM62,128.
The con artist, who has been identified as driving a Mini Cooper, supposedly left a trail of financial devastation in their wake, prompting a desperate search for the culprit and a call for collective action among the victims.
The scammer’s modus operandi is as simple as it is effective.
Posing as a legitimate buyer, the individual deposits checks into the sellers’ accounts, creating the illusion of a successful transaction.
Trusting that the funds have cleared, the sellers deliver the goods, only to discover that the money vanished from their accounts three days later, leaving them with no phone or payment.
A Victim’s Harrowing Tale
Foo Shi Hao, one of the victims, took to Facebook to share his harrowing experience and warn others in the industry.
“I didn’t notice when I deposited a check into my account; I thought it was a cash deposit,” he lamented. “I saw the money was deposited into my account, and the goods were delivered. Three days later, the money was not credited.”
As more and more victims came forward, the true scale of the scam became apparent.
The losses, from RM8,200 to a staggering RM24,350, have devastated the tight-knit community of phone traders.
A Desperate Search for the Scammer
In a desperate attempt to track down the scammer, Foo has called on anyone with information about the Mini Cooper-driving con artist to come forward.
“If you know him, please contact me, although it’s hard to find him, haha,” he wrote, his words tinged with frustration and resignation.
The victims are now banding together, determined to bring the scammer to justice.
“Many colleagues in the industry have contacted me one after another,” Foo revealed.
“Let’s see if we can collectively report to the police to find the source behind it.”
As a precautionary measure, Foo has also urged those with accounts at Public Bank Berhad to be vigilant, explicitly mentioning the account number for which to watch out.
A Community on High Alert
As the search for the Mini Cooper-driving scammer continues, the phone trading community remains on high alert, determined to protect themselves and their livelihoods from falling victim to similar cons in the future.
Social media users were quick to express their shock and outrage, with many offering advice and support to the victims.
“Call the police, make a case, go to the bank to do a case,” urged one concerned user, emphasizing the importance of taking swift action.
Others were simply stunned by the audacity of the scammer.
Some users offered practical advice to prevent falling victim to similar scams in the future by only accepting cash or e-wallet transfer to prevent being scammed.
READ MORE: [Watch] Cheque-mated: An iPhone Seller’s Harrowing Tale Of A Bounced Scam
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