ISKANDAR PUTERI: A Grab driver was cheated of RM49,000 by one of his regular passengers last Wednesday.
The suspect who claimed to be a loan agent with an international bank had pounced when the driver expressed interest in applying for a loan.
Iskandar Puteri police chief Assistant Commissioner Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the 40-year-old victim had expressed interest in applying for a personal loan of RM120,000.
“The suspect then asked the victim to pay a processing fee, a deposit and a fee to open an account at the bank.
“The victim deposited a total of RM49,078.90 in separate transactions to three accounts at the request of the suspect.
“The suspect was then given a loan application form, an approval letter for the loan, a picture of a cheque in the victim’s name and a support letter from the Johor Palace,” said Dzulkhairi.
However, realising that he had been duped, the victim then lodged a police report at the Nusa Bestari on Oct 16.
“Following the report, a team from the Iskandar Puteri Commercial Crime Investigation Department arrested the suspect.
After interrogation, the 26-year-old suspect led police to a house in Taman Damai Jaya, Skudai, where two more suspects, a 28-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, were arrested,” said Dzulkhairi.
He said police seized three mobile phones, two ATM cards, a fake document with the letter head from the Johor Palace, 47 fake documents with the letter head of an international bank, four fake cheques, three fake lawyer’s letters and five rubber stamps.
“Initial investigations showed that the syndicate has been in operation for about a year.
“So far, we have identified 12 other victims who we hope will come forward and lodge police reports.
“We believe each victim was cheated of between RM30,000 and RM50,000,” said Dzulkhairi.
He said the suspects were remanded until today, but police would apply for an extention of the remand.
“The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.”