Five small traders in the city have suffered losses amounting to RM28,160 after falling victim to a scam involving fake government agency purchase orders or tenders.
Miri District Police Chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the Commercial Crime Investigation Division at the Miri District Police Headquarters received five police reports related to the case on May 23.
He said all the victims were small business owners dealing in flowers and gift items who were approached by suspects impersonating staff from a government agency.
The suspects allegedly offered orders for “doorgift” supplies on behalf of the agency before deceiving the victims into making purchases for items outside their usual business scope.
Victims were then directed to contact a so-called supplier who could provide the required goods.
They subsequently made orders and transferred payments online into bank accounts believed to be mule accounts controlled by the scam syndicate.
The victims only realised they had been cheated after verifying the matter directly with the government agency involved.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries a penalty of imprisonment of between one and 10 years, whipping, and a fine upon conviction.
Mohd Farhan advised the public to remain cautious of purchase orders or tender offers claiming to come from government or private agencies, especially those made online.
He urged the public to verify such offers directly with the relevant agencies before engaging in any transactions.
He also warned against being misled by the use of official-looking documents or letterheads, saying such materials can be easily forged.
He further advised the public to check suspicious phone numbers and bank accounts via the PDRM Semak Mule portal before making any financial transactions.
Victims of online scams who have just made transfers are urged to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 for assistance.
He also encouraged the public to download the Whoscall app to help identify suspicious phone numbers linked to scam activities.
