Self- employed man duped of RM22,000 in scam

KUALA LUMPUR: A self-employed man was duped of over RM22,000 while trying to obtain a RM25,000 loan in a phone scam.

Loo Chin Meng, 49, claimed he received a random phone call from a man named Elvis who said he is an agent for a agency called QV Agency and that he was offering Loo a personal loan of RM20,000 at a lower interest rate.

Once Loo was hooked, another man named Alston, who claimed to be from a company called GT Credit, told Loo he would have to pay a refundable deposit which included administration fees, credit source fees as well as RM2,000 in sales and service tax (SST) in order to get the full amount of the loan.

They then informed him that they will increase his loan to RM25,000. After Loo paid the initial deposit, the company said his loan was approved but demanded the SST payment claiming it was mandatory charges for Bank Negara before the money could be released.

MCA public services and complaints department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said Loo was drawn by the offer from the loan agency rather than borrowing from the money from loan sharks which he said he needed to start his own business.

However, Loo had to borrow RM27,500 from the loan sharks to pay the fees asked by the agency.

“These loan cases don’t make sense, there is no such thing as a free meal, money will not fall from the sky just like that,” said Chong at a a press conference at the MCA headquarters.

Chong said the bogus loan agency managed to convince Loo using photos of a fake cheque with his name on it and an approval letter from Bank Negara.

Chong said the agency “approved” Loo’s loan via WhatsApp and never asked to meet Loo nor asked him to sign any documents.

“This is the ninth case of this manner that I have received this year, with the amount of money totalling RM499,200,” he said.

He advised borrowers to go to licensed agents that provide proper consultation and documentation.

Loo has lodged a report at the Puchong police station.