Police open five investigation papers on e-voucher scam involving over RM500,000 in losses

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) opened five investigation papers in connection with fraudulent e-voucher offers involving nationwide losses of RM508,261.

PDRM secretary Datuk Noorsiah Saaduddin said the investigations found that (e-voucher) offers were made through an online application introduced in 2020 involving the purchase of goods and services using e-wallets.

According to her, interested consumers who wanted to use the application would need to deposit a certain amount of money, and they will be given savings of up to 50 per cent for each purchase in addition to receiving reward points that can be redeemed through the purchase of goods or in cash.

"In the early stages, the transactions and redemption of reward points via the application proceeded smoothly, however, problems arose at the end of 2022 when consumers failed to make purchases or redeem their points," she said in a statement today, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

Noorsiah said the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs had in October last year issued a statement that companies involved in such activities would be investigated in accordance with Section 4(1) and Section 27B of the Direct Sales and Anti-Pyramid Scheme Act 1993.

Last Friday, the media reported about 100 police reports had been lodged involving a loss of nearly RM5 million after over 100 individuals had been duped into joining an online rewards scheme that offered 50 per cent discounts through a dubious company that used names of famous people, royalty, former government officers and religious leaders to attract their victims.

-- BERNAMA