‘Beware of scammers demanding money for release of arrested family member’
SIBU: The public is advised to be alert when receiving phone calls, purportedly from policemen, telling them that their family members had been involved in a road accident or detained by police.
District police chief ACP Saiful Bahri Abdullah said this method appeared be a new tactic employed by scammers against unsuspecting victims.
“We have received four cases recently whereby in one case, the scammer called the victim telling him that his family member was in police detention and that he must make certain payments to facilitate (the family member’s) release.
“They do not have to pay if it is true their family member is detained by the police,” he said during a crime awareness drive at Farley Supermarket commercial area here yesterday.
Saiful Bahri advised members of the public to go to the nearest police station should they receive such a call, adding that the scammers will keep on calling the victims until they pay up.
“For example, if the scammer said the case happened in Peninsular Malaysia, our officerincharge of police station (OCS) can verify with their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia whether the case really happened.”
The crime awareness drive saw the distribution of 300 anti- crime leaflets — available in Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese — sponsored by Farley Supermarket.
Saiful Bahri said the drive was part of the community policing programme involving the private sector. Saying he was happy with Farley’s commitment to fight crime, the OCPD hoped more in the private sector will emulate the company’s effort.
Farley Supermarket managing director Lau Siew Whye and deputy district police chief Supt Martin Koo were among those present.