Two men lost a total of RM25,000 after allegedly falling victim to an online used-car scam involving individuals posing as sales intermediaries.
PETALING JAYA: Two men lost a total of RM25,000 after allegedly falling victim to an online used-car scam involving individuals posing as sales intermediaries, with payments channelled into third-party bank accounts.
Miri district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Farhan Lee Abdullah said police received reports from the two victims, aged 41 and 45, on Oct 8.
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In the first case, a 41-year-old man came across a social media advertisement offering a black 2013 Perodua Myvi 1.3 automatic for RM4,500.
After contacting the purported intermediary through a messaging application, he inspected the vehicle in Miri and was satisfied with its condition.
He was subsequently instructed to make three payments totalling RM6,000 into two bank accounts belonging to third parties.
“The victim later discovered that the actual owner had not received the money and denied authorising anyone to act as an intermediary in the sale,” Mohamad Farhan said in a statement.
In the second case, a 45-year-old man responded to an online advertisement for a Toyota Estima Aeras priced at RM22,000.
He travelled to Batu Niah on Oct 7 to inspect and test-drive the vehicle after communicating with the alleged intermediary through a messaging application.
After agreeing to proceed with the purchase, he transferred RM19,000 through three transactions into a third-party bank account, as instructed.
He later found out that the vehicle owner had not received any payment and realised he had allegedly been cheated.
Police are investigating both cases under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
