KEPALA BATAS: Two private sector workers were cheated out of over RM40,000 in a face mask sale scam on social media, recently.
The duo, aged 36, is believed to have noticed a Facebook advertisement for face masks, and decided to make bulk purchases from the “seller” after they failed to find supplies of the item at local pharmacies.
One of them paid RM39,020 for 610 boxes, while the other ordered 90 boxes and paid RM2,900. The duo had intended to use the face masks for themselves, as well as sell them to third parties.
They made payment to a bank account number provided by the seller, who promised to deliver the goods within three to seven days.
However, they only realised that they had been scammed when reading comments left by others on the same Facebook page claiming to have been cheated by a syndicate.
Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Noorzainy Mohd Noor confirmed the report.
"To date, there are eight cases of face mask scams in the district.
“We suspect that they are local syndicates that are taking advantage of the situation," he said today.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.