Just three days after withdrawing EPF money, man receives call from scammer

SHAH ALAM - The experience of receiving multiple calls from individuals believed to be scammers turned out to be a 'shield' for a private sector employee which prevented him from falling victim to online fraud.

The victim who only wanted to be known as Sulaiman, 51, said in the latest incident, scammers seemed to have knowledge about money being transferred into his bank account.

"Previously, I received several calls from individuals claiming that there was a problem with a parcel and asked me to contact a certain number.

"But because I already know about how scammers operate, I immediately ended the call.

"The latest incident happened to me last year. Just three days after withdrawing money from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), I received a call from a scammer.

"It's quite strange how this syndicate knows that I just withdrew money from EPF, even though the last time I received such a call was about six months ago," he said.

Sulaiman said that in the online fraud case he faced, various 'traps' were set up, including investment offers and issues with parcels claimed to be his.

He said most scammers were believed to be trained in trapping victims based on their beliefs and conversations.

"It can't be denied that individuals who are not exposed to these scams can panic quickly and would fall into the trap and just follow the instructions given by these scammers because the situation they create seems genuine.

"So, my advice to everyone is to always be cautious and never entertain calls from unknown individuals," he said.

At the same time, Sulaiman also urged more serious efforts by the authorities to curb online fraud which was becoming increasingly rampant nowadays.