Scratch-and-win syndicate still at it

14 January 2013

SWINDLERS: Scam artists are preying on the public at a pedestrian bridge linked to Johor Baru City Square

JOHOR BARU: MEMBERS of a scratch-and-win syndicate are preying on  people who use the pedestrian bridge linking Johor Baru City Square to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex here.

Their modus operandi is to approach passersby and show them a lucky draw coupon which they claim offers attractive prizes.

It has been reported that such scratch-and-win scams have resulted in losses totalling more than RM25 million, from 2006 to last December.

Between 2,000 and 3,000 cases have been reported and victims have lost between RM5,000 and RM108,000 each.

To deter the syndicate, the management of City Square has put up stickers and posters to warn the public not to fall prey to the scratch-and-win schemes.

Johor Baru City Square assistant manager of security Kelvin Lee said the posters and stickers served as reminders to the public, especially Singaporeans, against fall for such scams.

"We have taken all the necessary steps to warn the public.

"That is all we can do," he said.

"We do not have the right to stop the syndicate members from operating at the bridge which leads to JB Sentral.

"Our hope is that the stickers and posters, which are in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Chinese are sufficient to make people more alert and prevent them from getting cheated."

Lee added that his security team could only take action against the syndicate members if violence was involved.

Johor Baru MCA youth chairman Kua Song Tuck, who highlighted the matter in the media recently, said the political party had set up a special task force in 2006 to monitor the scams.

"After the squad was formed, there was a decrease in the number of cases reported.

"However, in spite of the numerous awareness campaigns, the public continues to be susceptible to such scams," Kua said.

A 30-year-old victim, who only wanted to be known as Cindy, said she was approached by syndicate members who claimed that she had the chance win a new luxury car.

"However, to win this prize, they said I must first give them RM10,300.

"They took me to some automated-teller machines where I withdrew a total of RM6,950, using four of my credit cards.

"I only realised that I had been cheated when a representative of the company later offered me another prize in replacement of the car and even asked me for additional payment.

"I declined to accept the replacement item.

And, now, not only do I not have a new car, I also have to settle the credit card payments every month," she said.

Scam giving JB a bad name

28 March 2013

THE Singapore police revealed an alarming number of their nationals who fell victim to the scratch-and-win syndicate in Johor Baru.

Last year, 89 Singaporeans were cheated of RM1.05 million by members of the syndicate.

The latter operates at the overhead bridge linking JB Sentral and Johor Baru City Square.

On average, each of the victims was cheated of RM12,000.

Most certainly, the number of Malaysian victims are even higher.

Recently, a Malaysian was assaulted by syndicate members at the overhead bridge.

This was because he ignored the cajoling of one of the members.

The scratch-and-win scam is nothing new.

But the more the number of people know about it, the more the number of victims.

The authorities have put up huge buntings at the overhead bridge.

Even the floor of the overhead bridge towards the Johor Baru City Square has a huge poster to remind pedestrians to avoid the people behind the scam.

Despite these measures, syndicate members continue to prey on potential victims at the overhead bridge.

They seem to know the schedule of the enforcement officers at the site.

The syndicate members are basically those in their early 20s and probably school drop-outs.

They are casually attired and their only weapon are their deceptive tongues.

They will sweet-talk their potential victims until there is no turning back but to surrender their hard-earned money, or even their pensions, just for some inferior products which they believe to be superior.

Recently, another group of people, probably from the same syndicate, was spotted at the Jalan Station-Jalan Wong Ah Fook junction.

The syndicate will usually target areas with high pedestrian volume.

All sorts of tactics will be deployed to convince their potential victims to part with their money.

On Jan 19 this year, there was a Singaporean victim who was promised media coverage by the Singapore press if she won the first prize.

To cut her story short, she was cheated of RM4,920.

The scratch-and-win syndicate is a national shame.

Preying for potential victims at the southern gateway is as good as setting a trap for tourists.

The Tourism Ministry has been working hard to attract tourists into the country.

However, the traumatic experience of some of the tourists who fell prey to such a scam will certainly do the rounds when they return to their respective countries.

Eventually, it will be the city of Johor Baru which will earn a bad reputation.

Google "Johor Baru" and "scratch-and-win syndicate" and you will know what I mean.

Perhaps it is time to have a police booth in each of the operating areas of the syndicate. This may be the only way to bust it.