2024 in review: Sarawak hit hard by job scams, online investment fraud as victims lose millions

KUCHING, Dec 17 — As 2024 draws to a close, Sarawak continues to grapple with widespread job and online scams that have left victims financially devastated and emotionally scarred.

These scams, often orchestrated through social media platforms, prey on individuals across various demographics, from young job-seekers lured by high-paying overseas opportunities, to seasoned professionals enticed by fraudulent investment schemes.

Throughout the year, this alarming trend has indicated the adaptability of scammers in using technology and other means to run their devious operations.

Moreover, it also underlines the urgent need for greater public awareness and systemic counter-measures.

‘Enticed by sweet offers’

Among the most harrowing cases was the one involving five Sarawakians, in their early 20s, who were stranded in Cambodia after being duped by fake job offers.

On October 12, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau chief Milton Foo held a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Kuching, after the victims’ parents had sought his assistance.

During the session, the parents shared how their daughters fell victim to job-recruitment scams that was advertised Facebook, with three leaving for Cambodia without informing their families.

Their parents only learned about the situation when the daughters contacted them, explaining that they were unable to return to Malaysia without paying exorbitant fees demanded by the scammers.

Following intervention by the Malaysian Embassy and Cambodian police, the victims, who were detained after escaping a human-trafficking syndicate in early September, returned home on Nov 1, after nearly two months being held at a Cambodian immigration centre, having been cleared to leave by the Sihanoukville Immigration Department.

‘Entrapped in Myanmar’

Similarly, the plight of Hou, 37, and Kueh, 23, two Sarawakians believed to been trapped by a syndicate in Myanmar, underscores the dangers of fraudulent job advertisements — and also the potential involvement of officials at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak secretary George Lam helped their families in filing detailed police reports to reinforce the investigation.

In a press conference on June 25, held after meeting with a Foreign Affairs Ministry officer in Kuching, Lam spoke about the syndicate’s ‘luring’ methods including posting fake job advertisements on Facebook and coordinated travel arrangements to Myanmar via Thailand, which raised concerns about possible collusion at the key transit points.

These cases highlight the pervasive role of international trafficking networks, the sophisticated methods used to exploit the victims, and the significant challenges involved in coordinating cross-border efforts to ensure the victims’ safe return.

‘Phoney investments’

Meanwhile, online investment scam cases have also surged, causing staggering financial losses.

Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, on October 28, revealed that the country lost over RM1 billion to online fraud as at September this year, including RM547.3 million from investment scams — up from RM472.2 million reported in the same period in 2023.

One of these cases involved a businessman in Kuching, who lost RM564,354 from his fixed deposits after being deceived by scammers posing as law enforcement officials investigating a fake parcel linked to illegal items.