Kuala Terengganu: A company director and an accountant lost a total of RM86,700 after falling victim to syndicates offering fake government tenders.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kuala Terengganu police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor revealed that the two victims were initially contacted by phone with fraudulent offers of non-existent government projects.

The first victim, a 55-year-old company director, was deceived into paying RM72,300 for the purported supply of a power station to the Besut Social Welfare Department (JKM) on March 11. Meanwhile, the second victim, an accountant, was tricked into supplying 80 boxes of dates for a breaking-of-fast event, transferring RM14,400 to the syndicate’s designated bank account, also on March 11. Both victims grew suspicious and verified the offers with the relevant departments, only to discover that no such tenders existed.

The victims reported the scam to a nearby police station, and the case is now under investigation under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

In another case, a hotel manager lost RM60,000 due to deception by an acquaintance involved in land sales. Azli stated that the 66-year-old victim handed over 10 land titles for mortgage purposes to a friend, known as Aimi, on Oct 17 last year. The agreement promised a payment of RM250,000 for the mortgaged plots, but the victim received only RM30,000. Verification with the Besut Land Office revealed that two land lots, valued at RM60,000, had been transferred to a third party without the victim’s knowledge.

The victim’s attempts to contact the suspect were unsuccessful, prompting him to file a police report at the Kuala Terengganu district police headquarters. This case is being investigated under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which entails severe penalties upon conviction.