KUANTAN: A woman has been allegedly cheated of RM56,360 by a “travel agent” who asked her to collect the money from a group of people for a tour to China.
Pahang commercial crime investigation department chief Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said the 37-year-old woman lodged a police report in Maran, near here, yesterday after the so-called travel agent admitted that he could not fulfil his side of the bargain.
The woman now fears that the 29 people whom she had collected money from might come after her if she could not refund them their money, he told reporters here today.
The woman had not been able to contact the ‘travel agent’ since Dec 9 after he had left a message in a WhatsApp group saying that the proposed tour of China from Dec 12 had been cancelled, he said.
“The victim (woman) claims that she had taken on the role of a tour leader and gathered several friends in 2018 to buy a tour package to China costing between RM1,650 and RM1,990 each.
“Those who signed up for the tour paid the money in instalments between 2018 and early this month to the woman who then banked it into the account of the agent,” he added.
Mohd Wazir said the woman claimed that the “travel agent” finally admitted that the tour could not proceed because he had mismanaged the money but promised to return it to her over three months.
He said police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which provides for up to 10 years’ jail, whipping and fine on conviction. — Bernama
