Three Chinese nationals were detained in Kuching after an operation linked to alleged home-repair scams. The Sarawak Immigration Department and Sarawak Consumers Association (PPS) carried out the Aug 19 operation after receiving several complaints. PPS said the three people could not produce valid identification documents or work permits. The complaints involved home-repair services advertised on Facebook. The providers allegedly offered free inspections, then claimed to find leaks and proposed drilling small holes and injecting liquid as a ‘new technology’ repair. Some consumers were allegedly charged thousands of ringgit and asked to pay into personal bank accounts. In some cases, the phone numbers became unreachable after payment while the leakage problems continued. PPS said one house inspected during the operation had no leakage problem. Several complaints were referred to the police Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID). PPS said one follow-up recovered RM3,000 in compensation. Consumers are advised to verify service providers, get written quotations, avoid paying personal bank accounts where possible, and keep advertisements, chats, photos, videos and receipts as evidence. For home-repair work, get a written quotation, verify the business and avoid paying a personal bank account where possible. Keep the advertisement, chat history, photos and receipt if the work does not match what was promised. [image: 1787187922233-home-repair-scam.jpg] Source: The Borneo Post

A Kuching man lost RM104,310 after a scammer pretended to be his friend on WhatsApp. The 49-year-old received a message on Aug 13 asking him to make an advance payment for goods. Thinking it was genuine, he made four transfers to three bank accounts between Aug 13 and Aug 15. His real friend later said the WhatsApp account had been hacked and had never asked him for the money. Kuching district police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. A conviction carries one to 10 years in jail, whipping and a possible fine. Police advise the public to end suspicious calls, avoid sharing banking information, and verify account and phone numbers through the Royal Malaysia Police’s Semak Mule portal before making payments. A message that appears to come from a friend still needs a separate check. Call the saved number or another mutual contact before transferring anything, and use Semak Mule when a bank account is provided. Anyone who has already paid should contact the bank and 997 immediately rather than waiting for the recipient to reply.

A 59-year-old Kuching woman lost RM145,247 after being tricked into paying for a fake subcontract project in Sabah. [image: 1786248347640-scam.jpg] The victim met the suspect through an acquaintance in December 2025. The suspect claimed to have connections with Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) and offered her company a subcontract for work in Ranau. Between Jan 2 and Jan 14, 2026, she made five payments into four different accounts — RM145,247 in total — for so-called locking fees, equipment rental, workers' salaries, mobilisation and site expenses. She only filed a police report on Aug 8. Location: Kuching Details: Case investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code — cheating carries up to 10 years jail, whipping and fine. Source: DayakDaily ️ Police remind public to check suspicious accounts via Semak Mule portal. Report scams to NSRC hotline 997 within 24 hours. What do you think?

A 69-year-old retiree in Miri lost RM367,000 after joining an online investment scheme that promised fast returns. [image: 1785211547300-miri_scam_20260728.jpg] Miri police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the man saw a social media advertisement earlier this year and contacted a person claiming to be an investment agent. Between June 9 and July 26, 2026, the victim made 48 transfers into three bank accounts. The total came up to RM367,000. He realised something was wrong when he tried to withdraw the supposed profits, but kept getting excuses. Police advice The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. Police advised the public to be careful with investment ads promising unusually high returns in a short time. Check with Bank Negara Malaysia's Financial Consumer Alert List and the Securities Commission Malaysia Investor Alert List before putting in money. Location: Miri, Sarawak Details: Report lodged with Miri Commercial Crime Investigation Department on Monday. Photo: Max Pixel via The Borneo Post Source: The Borneo Post What do you think?

Sarawak Energy warned customers about phishing emails impersonating the company and Syarikat Sesco Berhad to steal information or redirect payments. [image: 1784887543055-sarawak-energy-sesco-phishing.jpg] Image: Sarawak Energy via DayakDaily The fake messages misuse company branding and employee identities to appear legitimate. Their aim may be to obtain personal details, passwords or one-time passwords, persuade a customer to pay an unauthorised account, or make the recipient open a malicious link or attachment. A practical verification routine Sarawak Energy said its official email uses the @sarawakenergy.com domain, but the visible sender name alone is not enough. Expand the sender details and read the full address. Even when an address looks familiar, do not use phone numbers or links supplied inside an unexpected payment email. Sarawak Energy says it will not request passwords or OTPs by email and will not direct customers to personal bank accounts or unauthorised payment channels. Check a bill through SEB cares or contact the company independently before paying. If you receive a suspicious message: Do not reply, click links or download attachments. Take a screenshot and preserve the full sender address. Verify through the official Customer Care Centre at 1300-88-3111, [email protected], or SEB cares. If money has already been transferred, contact the bank and Malaysia's National Scam Response Centre at 997 immediately. Sources: DayakDaily report · Sarawak Energy official site

[image: 1784282630570-ai-voice-scam.jpeg] A Kuching Feng Shui consultant says scammers cloned his voice with AI and tried to borrow RM4,500 from his friends. The case was raised at a press conference in Jalan Setia Raja on Friday, July 17. The victim, Alex Ling, said the fake voice was not perfect, but close enough that people who did not know him well could be fooled. SUPP Public Complaints Bureau chief Milton Foo said this was already the third voice-cloning scam case brought to his office in two weeks. The earlier cases involved people from Kenyalang Market and Pending Seafood. What happened A mutual friend received a distress call on July 14 from someone who sounded like Ling. The caller claimed he urgently needed RM4,500 for a relative's medical operation. The friend checked with Foo instead of transferring money. Foo advised him to keep the caller talking and ask for the bank account number. When the caller returned 30 to 50 minutes later, the friend managed to record the conversation. Ling has lodged a police report to clear his name. Foo reminded the public not to trust a voice call alone, especially when money is requested urgently. Location: Jalan Setia Raja, Kuching Details: AI voice-cloning scam attempt involving RM4,500; police report lodged; third similar complaint in two weeks. Source: DayakDaily If someone suddenly calls asking for emergency money, verify through another channel first. What do you think?

A 67-year-old Kuching man lost over RM111,000 after falling for an online part-time job scam on Facebook. The victim came across a Facebook page called "RWESHOPS" that promised lucrative commission-based earnings. After signing up, he was instructed to complete online tasks — and to make payments to "unlock" commissions. He carried out 24 transactions into 6 different bank accounts. By the time he realised it was a scam, RM111,245 was gone. Location: Kuching Details: Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu confirmed the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. He urged the public to: Verify suspicious accounts through Semak Mule portal (semakmule.rmp.gov.my) Contact NSRC hotline at 997 within 24 hours if scammed Report suspicious activities to Sarawak Commercial Crime Department at 011-62890089 Source: DayakDaily Have you or someone you know encountered similar online job scams? Drop a comment to warn others.

Kuching shoppers beware — online purchases from a local seller on social media have led to losses exceeding RM80,000, with at least 14 victims reporting they paid but never received their items. The Sarawak Consumers Association (PPS) said it received 14 consumer complaints and one pharmacy complaint as of June 17, linked to a local woman suspected of selling daily necessities — including infant formula, diapers, medicines, and household items — through social media platforms. PPS president Dr Wynson Ong said the total reported losses amounted to RM80,509.98, with more complaints still being verified. According to PPS, some buyers initially received their orders, which built trust and encouraged repeat purchases — especially since the seller offered promotional prices lower than market rates. "However, after several successful transactions, payments were made but the goods were no longer delivered," Ong said. In one case involving a pharmacy, the same individual was alleged to have made an invalid payment by submitting a receipt that didn't reflect the actual payment amount. Ong said the number of complaints shows the matter cannot be taken lightly. "When 14 consumers and a pharmacy are involved, with losses exceeding RM80,000 and potentially reaching hundreds of thousands, this matter cannot be taken lightly." PPS advised shoppers to: Avoid rushing into payments Do not transfer money to personal bank accounts without verifying seller legitimacy Check seller backgrounds Use traceable payment methods The Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) is expected to investigate. Anyone with information can contact PPS at 017-7109299. Consumer awareness is the first line of defence against online scams. [image: 1781917505645-scam-warning.jpg] Location: Kuching, Sarawak Details: 14+ victims, RM80,509.98 lost to online shopping scam Source: Borneo Post What do you think? Have you or someone you know encountered this scam?

[image: 1781416938573-scam-alert.jpg] A 79-year-old man in Kuching lost over RM9 million after falling for a fake share investment and IPO scam — and only got RM1,000 back. The victim was approached by a suspect at Jalan Pending back in January 2026 and was offered a chance to invest in shares and IPOs through a platform called "TBGIA". Trusting the offer, he made 27 transfers into nine different bank accounts. The total amount? RM9,082,000. He only received RM1,000 in returns. Kuching District Police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said the victim realised he had been scammed when he couldn't withdraw his "investment" or the profits shown in the TBGIA app. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. Location: Jalan Pending, Kuching Details: 27 transactions, 9 bank accounts, RM9.08M lost Source: DayakDaily ️ Police advise the public to verify investment companies through Bank Negara Malaysia and Securities Commission Malaysia lists, and to use the Check Scammers CCID app or Semak Mule portal before making any transfers. What do you think?

[image: 1781312721319-repair-scam.jpg] If a Facebook ad offers cheap home repairs with free inspection — think twice. Victims across Sarawak are losing thousands. The Sarawak Consumers Association (PPS) has sounded the alarm after receiving complaints from Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu about a suspected scam syndicate operating through Facebook ads. The modus operandi? Ads offering free inspection and home repairs. Workers show up, do substandard or irrelevant work, pressure victims into paying via personal bank accounts — then disappear. The original problem remains unfixed. Reported losses: Kuching: RM3,000 – RM4,200 Sibu: RM5,400 Miri: RM2,700 Bintulu: RM5,600 The workers are reportedly Chinese nationals. PPS has raised concerns over possible immigration law violations and public safety risks. "We are not talking about isolated incidents anymore. Victims from several divisions — even Peninsular Malaysia — have come forward with nearly identical stories," said PPS president Dr Wynson Ong. Some victims have filed police reports, but the cases were not classified as fraud since the workers physically showed up and did some work. Tips to stay safe: Verify the company's business address and license Never pay via personal bank accounts Get a written quote before any work starts If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is If you have been a victim, file a police report and contact PPS at 017-710 9299. Source: DayakDaily | Borneo Post Share this with your family and friends!

An 80-year-old Kuching man lost RM103,850 after falling for an online investment scam promising big profits. The victim was contacted on WhatsApp by a woman claiming to run a business in Pattaya, Thailand. She offered him a partnership in a "Wholesale International Business Online" scheme through a website she managed. From September 2025 to February 2026, the man made eight bank transfers totalling RM103,850 to six different accounts. He was promised that both capital and returns would be deposited back into his account. Reality hit when he could no longer reach the suspect to ask for his money back. "The victim was directed to carry out a series of payment transactions as part of an alleged investment scheme, with assurances that the capital and returns would be deposited into the victim's account," said Kuching district police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. [image: 80yo-scam-rm103850.jpg] Location: Kuching, Sarawak Details: RM103,850 lost to online investment scam, 8 transactions to 6 bank accounts, victim aged 80 Source: DayakDaily Reminder: If an investment sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always verify before transferring money. What do you think?