PETALING JAYA: Victims of a scam that target people who plan to sell their luxury cars online have been advised to lodge police reports.
Federal Commercial Crimes Investigations Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Mazlan Mansor (pix) said investigations had begun based on some reports lodged earlier.
“We are gathering evidence and will determine how action can be taken against the mastermind. I will personally look into this, so we can put an end to the syndicate’s activities and ensure the perpetrators face action,” he said in response to a special report on the scam in theSun yesterday.
Mazlan also urged those with information on the syndicate to come forward or channel it to the CCID’s infoline via SMS or Whatsapp at 013-211 1222.
Accounts given by victims show that the syndicate had used various tactics to dupe victims into handing over their expensive cars, including issuing bad cheques and making false promises.
In the report, theSun highlighted the case of private practitioner Dr Charles Fernandez, who lost his Range Rover Evoque in December last year. Mazlan said the police were already looking for the “buyer” of the vehicle.
“He is now listed as a ‘wanted’ man.”
Mazlan said investigations were in progress and any new development would be revealed in due time.
Fernandez had told theSun that he agreed to sell his car at RM196,000 before he and a “buyer” went through the process of sending the car for an inspection and to transfer the ownership after a banker’s draft was handed to him.
He was later informed by the bank that the draft was fake. Days after lodging a report, the police traced his car to a used car dealer in Sungai Besi. By then, the registration number had been changed and ownership transferred to the car dealer.
Police impounded the car but Fernandez has yet to get his vehicle back despite having filed a legal demand in court.
More than a dozen luxury cars worth millions had been lost in the well-planned operation. The scam begins with the syndicate searching sites for luxury cars for sale and when a target is found, a “potential buyer” would approach the seller to express interest.
A deal is then struck on the phone before both parties meet at the Road Transport Department (RTD) office to effect the transfer of ownership after “proof of payment” had been shown to the seller.
The seller would usually be given a bank draft for the agreed sum or shown a text message indicating that the sum had been transferred to his bank account.
After taking possession of the car, the new “owner” would take the car to the mastermind, who then changes the registration number at an RTD counter before it is resold.
The mastermind remains a free man although the authorities are aware of his identity. This has enabled him to continue running the scam “safely” for years.
Dozens of reports have been lodged against him for other illegal activities such as illegal money-lending, criminal intimidation and fraud. Four other victims had also related their encounter with the syndicate, which caused them losses totalling more than RM500,000.
