KUANTAN: A technician’s dream of taking his family on a vacation to Rome, Italy was dashed after he was allegedly duped by a travel agency which had organised the trip.
The victim, Johan Ismail, had booked the trip with a recognised corporate agent for round-trip tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Rome.
He said he had known the agent since 2017 and had dealt with the suspect several times for previous vacations.
After making a payment of RM28,510, he said he received a confirmation letter of the tickets sent by the suspect through email and WhatsApp.
However, when the victim checked with a Middle Eastern airlines for his flight ticket details, the airlines spokesman said there were no such reservations for the flight.
Johan then confronted the agent, who insisted that the tickets had been reserved.
Fearing he had been cheated, the victim made a police report at the Kuantan police headquarters, said Pahang Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof.
In another case here, a man lost RM2,500 after he was duped by a non-existent money lending company which he had approached for a personal loan.
Wazir said the victim made a deal with a woman named Sandy, who introduced herself as a representative of the money lending company.
"After a discussion, the victim agreed to take out a loan of RM5,000 and was asked to make a payment for the loan application process. The victim transferred into four different accounts, money totalling RM2,550.
"However, after the transfers were completed, the victim realised he had been duped after the suspects asked for another RM1,750 to approve the loan. He then lodged a police report at the Kuantan police headquarters yesterday.
"These two cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years and whipping, and a fine, if convicted," Wazir said.