KUCHING: A Sarawak-based company suffered losses amounting to RM50,065 after falling victim to a commercial scam involving a fake purchase order allegedly from the Public Works Department (PWD) Sarawak.
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau Chairman, Milton Foo, said the syndicate used the name of PWD Sarawak to deceive the victim into supplying 13 units of air purifiers.
“This is once again a commercial scam using the name of PWD Sarawak to make a fake purchase order,” he told reporters during a press conference at his office today.
Foo added that the company had received a phone call from an individual known as Mr Jong, who claimed to represent PWD Sarawak, ordering 13 units of air purifiers of a specific brand.
“Since the company did not supply that particular brand, Mr Jong told them there was another supplier in Sabah that could provide it, and gave the contact number,” he said.
Foo explained that the victim later contacted the so-called supplier in Sabah and made two separate payments: the first on November 4 amounting to over RM30,040 via interbank transfer, and the second on November 6 for more than RM20,025 via instant transfer.
However, the goods were never delivered and all contact with the alleged suppliers, known as Isabel and Mr Chong, was eventually cut off.
Foo said the scammers used fake purchase order documents bearing the official PWD Sarawak and Malaysian Government letterheads, with a fabricated officer’s title listed as ‘Ketua Penolong Pengarah Grade W17’ .
“The documents looked so real that they could easily mislead business owners,” he said, adding that the company had lodged a police report last Monday.
He called on police to conduct a thorough investigation into the two Sabah-based companies involved, as well as their bank accounts and account holders.
Foo also urged the public, especially business owners, to remain cautious when dealing with orders purportedly from government departments or agencies.
“Always verify first before making any transaction. If you can’t verify on your own, you can contact me. I will help to verify for you free of charge,” he said.
Foo reminded the public that victims should immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 within 24 hours of discovering suspicious transactions to increase the chances of freezing the funds.
“Unfortunately, in this case, the money was likely transferred through mule accounts, so the chances of recovery are almost zero,” he said.
He further noted that scammers are becoming more sophisticated, with some even using artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake videos or endorsements to deceive the public.
Foo said similar scams had also been reported recently involving alleged orders from army camps, the Ministry of Education, and even private schools.
“Scammers are now targeting not only individuals but also companies. That is why everyone must stay alert and verify every detail before proceeding with any deal,” he stressed.
