Showing posts with label Crimes. Show all posts

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Clamping down on mule accounts;' Onus is on banks to prove unauthorised transactions'

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said losses from online fraud crimes over the past three years totalled more than RM2.65 billion.

PROPOSED amendments to the law were tabled in Dewan Rakyat with the aim of clamping down on the use of mule accounts for illegal activities.

The move is seen as a measure to address the alarming rise in online financial fraud cases.

Those convicted under the new offences could face fines of up to RM150,000 and 10 years in jail.

The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2024 and Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill 2024, which were tabled for the first reading by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, will also see stiff penalties being imposed against those involved in such activities.

Under the amendments, several new sections – 424A, 424B, 424C and 424D – were included under the Penal Code for offences related to payment instruments or accounts at financial institutions.

“The proposed new section 424A seeks to provide for the offence and penalty for possession or control of any payment instrument of another person or any account of another person at a financial institution without lawful authority or lawful purpose,” the Bill read.

Those found guilty could face a fine of between RM5,000 and RM50,000, imprisonment of between six months and five years, or both upon conviction.

The proposed new section 424B states the offence and penalty for allowing another person to control or possess payment instruments or an account at a financial institution without lawful authority or purpose.

This offences is punishable by a fine of between RM10,000 and RM100,000, a prison term of one to seven years, or both upon conviction.

Under subsection 424C(1), individuals who directly or indirectly engage in transactions using their payment instruments or accounts for unlawful purposes can be punished with a prison term of three to 10 years or a fine of between RM10,000 and RM150,000 or both.

As for unlawful transactions conducted using another person’s payment instruments or account, Section 424C(1) states that those guilty could be fined between RM10,000 and RM150,000 or face a prison term of between three and 10 years or both.

The financial institutions under the proposed laws refer to licensed banks under the Financial Services Act, licensed Islamic Banks under the Islamic Financial Services Act and the institutions prescribed under the Development Financial Institutions Act with payment instruments also designated by the respective Acts.

A new section, 116D, was also proposed under the Criminal Procedure Code, which would empower a police officer not below the rank of sergeant to seize or prohibit dealings involving money held or suspected to be held in any payment instrument or account at financial institutions.

The police officer can act if they have reasonable cause to suspect that an offence has been committed if the money has been used or is intended to be used to commit an offence or if the money constitutes evidence of an offence.

The second reading is scheduled for the current Dewan Rakyat meeting.

According to data from the Legal Affairs Division, there were a total of 266,230 reports on mule accounts while 146,772 bank accounts were identified as mule accounts.

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'Onus is on banks to prove unauthorised transactions'

Banks bear burden to probe unauthorised transactions, not victims, says Lim

The burden to conduct a detailed probe to prove any unauthorised banking transaction lies with the banks and not the victim of financial scams, say. The burden to conduct a detailed probe to prove any unauthorised banking transaction lies with the banks s Lim Hui Ying and not the victim of financial scams, says Lim Hui Ying.

Clamping down on mule accounts;' Onus is on banks to prove unauthorised transactions' said this in response to a question from Chong Chieng Jen (Pakatan Harapan-Stampin) during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (July 9).

“Scam victims do not need to prove that the transaction is real. That is for the bank to prove,” said the Deputy Finance Minister in response to a question from Chong Chieng Jen (PH-Stampin) during Question and Answer Time.Chong asked the Finance Ministry to state whether it had any intention to amend existing laws so that banks were held responsible for the full or partial losses suffered by victims of financial fraud or scams.

Lim said quantum of compensation by the banks would take into consideration the outcome of investigations of each case and the effectiveness of the security controls implemented by the banks to address financial fraud.

“If the financial loss is solely due to the negligence and weaknesses of the bank, then the bank must be fully responsible for the loss,” she added.

She said if the scam victim disagreed with the bank’s decision and compensation offer, the account holder had the right to take the matter up with the Ombudsman for Financial Services.Besides this, Lim said banks had implemented several measures since June 2023 to safeguard account holders, including ensuring that every banking transaction complies with security features such as confirmation of transactions with clients, providing transaction notifications to clients and strengthening fraud detection rules to identify suspicious transactions.

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Monday, January 3, 2022

ONGOING CYBER THREATS

After years of data breaches exposing individuals’ personal information, cyberthieves will increasingly use that information to attack businesses in 2022, according to the Identity theft resource Centre’s predictions for the coming year.

` “We also tracked a record number of data breaches and a steady flow of new victims of unemployment benefits identity fraud long after the enhanced benefits ended,” said eva Velasquez, president and CEO of Identity theft resource Centre.

` Velasquez anticipates an increase this year in the number of people who have been victims of identity theft multiple times. And she warned of particular risk ahead as people change how they pay for things.

` “Look for cybercriminals to take advantage of the shift to alternative digital payment methods, such as payment apps, digital wallets and peer-to-peer services,” Velasquez said.

` With cryptocurrency becoming increasingly popular, scammers will find new ways to steal from consumers, according to the resource centre, which is a US nonprofit that tracks data compromises and provides free assistance to victims.

` The centre’s predictions for 2022 include:

` l An accelerated shift from identity theft to use of already stolen personal information and credentials to commit identity fraud and attack businesses.
` l Consumers may shift away from some online transactions and email communications due to the increasing problem of phishing, which is when cybercriminals use a fraudulent email or website to masquerade as a legitimate business or person.
` l the effects of pandemicrelated fraud will continue into 2024, with some fraud cases taking years to resolve and unemployment compensation fraud efforts likely becoming permanent.
` l ransomware, when hackers use malicious software to infect and lock a computer network and demand demand money to restore access, may surpass phishing as the top cause of data breaches.
` l Supply chain attacks, which is when malware infects a single organisation that is linked to multiple others, will become more common.
` l Single incident attacks will impact greater numbers of individuals, including social media account takeovers that victimise followers and networks.

` “All of these trends point toward increases in identity fraud that will change consumer behaviours, revictimisation rates and pandemicrelated identity crimes for years to come,” Velazquez said.

` “We expect to see these types of cyberattacks and who they target continue to evolve as they did in 2021.”

` The resource centre called for wider consumer education efforts and improved data protection. the number of publicly reported data compromises was already higher last year than in all of 2020. the centre’s third quarter report shows that as of Sept 30, 2021, data compromises rose by nearly 17% over all of 2020. the report found that nearly 281.5 million people were victims last year. there were 1,291 data compromise events in 2021, compared to 1,108 in all of 2020. the record is 1,529 in 2017.

` In November, the resource centre released data showing that 16% of 1,050 US adult consumers surveyed took no action after receiving a data breach notice, according to the survey by the resource centre and Dig.works, a consumer research company.

` Fewer than one-third of survey respondents had frozen their credit at one time for any reason and only 3% did so after receiving a data breach notice, the survey found.

– Journal-news, Hamilton, Ohio/tribune News Service

Crypto cybercrime set to surge in 2022

Cybercrime in 2022 – be aware | The Star

2021 Cyber Threat Report - 2021 Global Threat Report

Bitcoins, Cryptocurrencies under fire

Vital to know your rights when get arrested; comments on social media not be a serious crime

Friday, April 16, 2021

Unmasking fugitive Nicky Liow

Life in the fast lane: Liow has a penchant for luxury cars and throwing lavish parties.

Reckless and young, he used dirty money for fame and acceptance

Petaling Jaya: He is one of the most wanted men in Malaysia. Datuk Seri Nicky Liow Soon Hee, who thrives on being in the limelight, must be wishing that he had kept himself away from public attention.

Malaysians who have seen pictures of this brash young man posing with his piles of cash and luxury cars must have wondered why anyone would ever want to do that.

Some blamed it on the fugitive’s Instagram generation which values image over substance.

Liow, who celebrates his 33rd birthday at the end of this month, is known to throw lavish parties with free-flowing booze. That won’t happen this year.

Police want him to face charges on organised crime, money laundering, Macau scam and commercial crime cases, and likely involving drugs too.

Recently, police arrested 68 individuals, including his two brothers, also Datuk Seri titleholders, and a Datuk who are believed to be gang members.

Police also seized 16 luxury vehicles, including a Rolls Royce and five Alphard MPVs, and hard currency totalling over RM7mil in 70 raids conducted between March 20 and March 28.

Obviously, Liow wanted to show off his wealth without a thought that he would be watched and eventually asked where he had amassed the fortune.

He is the classic case of a wannabe who aspired to become an influencer, while missing the part about actually being influential at all.

His Facebook account still exists with plenty of pictures and videos of him with his luxury cars and parties.

So, the drive for self-fame took over, and soon Liow actually believed he had become a philanthropist. For sure, not a Robin Hood as he was not robbing the rich to help the poor.

Perhaps he just wanted to prove that he has made it. The Malaysian Dream – with a Datuk Seri to boot – of course. A big shot, to put it simply.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador reportedly said the cockiness of Liow who “openly exposed his wealth on social media” enhanced police investigations into various money-laundering and commercial crime cases.

Last August, the SMK Bandar Baru Ampang former student called up the school wanting to give a huge donation to his alma mater in a gesture of appreciation.

Not known for his academic achievements, none of the teachers could recall this former student of theirs but still, a RM600,000 donation was hard to turn down.

It included smart TVs, electronic devices, air-conditioners and a pledge to renovate the school hall.

In any case, no one would pose impolite questions to a kind-hearted Datuk Seri, an old boy with a golden heart.

Liow, who left the school after finishing Form Five in 2006, told reporters who covered the hand-over that he came from a poor family, and was the eldest of four siblings.

He said he had to do odd jobs after school to help put food on the table for his family, saying he was the sole breadwinner.

He confessed he could not focus in class, obviously an academic failure, because he had much to worry about.

Liow described the “real world” as tough and that he had “to work 10 times harder than others” because he did not have a good academic background.

It isn’t clear now if Liow was aware that the law had been closing in on him as there had been reports that law enforcement officers including a former public prosecutor with a Datuk title was on his payroll and would have tipped him off.

Just days before the simultaneous raids were carried out by police to arrest his gang members, he was at a recreational club in Puchong, with his shiny Rolls Royce parked prominently at the entrance.

Some press photographers had actually staged a stake-out nearby for the imminent arrest but it did not take place.

Those familiar with the probe said Liow had also been an advocate of investing in MFace International Bhd, a unit of MBI Group International Bhd. Both companies are on Bank Negara’s alert list of unlicensed activities which contain over 300 companies.

In 2018, three directors of MFace faced 11 charges of money laundering involving RM122.88mil. They were accused of receiving monies said to be raised from illegal business activities between 2012 and 2017.

The three directors were charged under subsection 4(1)b of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLA) 2001.

Liow is said to have also invested in cryptocurrencies, including the Hong Kong-registered Dragon Pool, and had openly boasted he made huge returns from his investments.

It is understood that police are also investigating complaints of cheating made against Liow for fraudulent and non-existent investment schemes with promises of good returns.

Liow also spoke about putting money in property in Abang Island in Batam, Indonesia, but it is not clear what his plans there were.

But as part of the modus operandi, high dividends were assured as a way of getting rich, which he described in one FB posting as “1 Formula”.

“That’s why believe wat ur invest! Juz believe it. Dream will came (sic) true!” he posted.

Liow’s link includes a relationship with the notorious Wan Kuok Kai, 65, or Broken Tooth, who served 14 years in prison in Macau after being convicted of illegal money lending, money laundering and leading a criminal group, before being released in 2012.

Wan has long been on the police wanted list over his alleged involvement in gangsterism and a fraud case involving RM6mil since October last year.

Incredibly, at one time, he even briefly served as chairman of a Malaysian public-listed company. Like Liow, Wan has also disappeared.

Liow’s seven-year clandestine activities are as good as gone with the arrests of his loyalists, which include Chinese nationals.

They are still under remand and look set to face a barrage of charges which will put them away in long jail sentences.

Liow seems to look for recognition desperately. There were plenty of fly-by-night titles from companies in Kuala Lumpur which are known to sell awards.

It wasn’t enough that he became a Datuk Seri but he wanted to be known as an award-winning entrepreneur.

But a company search of his company, Winner Dynasty Group Sdn Bhd incorporated in 2020, did not even provide any audited financial results.

There were no details of an auditor, balance sheet items nor any income statement items such as revenue, profit or loss.

The nature of his company was listed as “wholesale of a variety of goods without any particular specialisation”.

Still, Liow wanted to be seen in the company of influential and powerful figures, especially politicians and police officers, craving for acceptance and legitimate recognition.

The big break came during the movement control order in 2020 when he was able to present a huge number of face masks to frontliners with unwitting ministers turning up to accept it.

Little did they know that it was his attempt to mask his unlawful activities.

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Interpol’s help sought to find Liow

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has requested Interpol’s help via the Blue Notice to locate and arrest businessman Datuk Seri Nicky Liow who is on the run for suspicion of masterminding an organised crime group in the country.

The Blue Notice refers to the request to locate, identify or collect information on a person of interest.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said they had yet to receive any feedback from the international agency.

He told a press conference after presenting donations to the next of kin of the late Sarjan Baharuddin Ramli and to Sarjan Norihan Tari as well as PDRM retirees at the Bukit Aman Mosque here yesterday.

Sjn Baharuddin and Sjn Norihan of the General Operations Force were involved in a shooting incident at the Malaysian-Thai border last year. The latter survived.

Earlier, the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council presented a total of RM535,500 to 1,051 police retirees. — Bernama

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Officers linked to Nicky will be arrested, says Ayob | The Star

Johor police chief vows action on cops nabbed for extortion

Friday, May 19, 2017

Police OCPDs detained: RM800k cash in storeroom; Gambling dens masquerading as cybercafes

Caught in the crackdown: (From left) A Melaka-based police corporal was remanded for seven days at the magistrate’s court in Putrajaya to help in a graft probe while former Inspector P. Kavikumar and L/Kpl Muhammad Harris Mohd Rafe were charged with receiving bribes at the Sessions Court in Kota Baru.

Police officers on the take allegedly used middlemen - bribes paid into bank account ...

RM800,000 shock - cash discovered in storeroom

A whopping RM800,000 in cash was recovered from a police corporal at a police quarters as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission continued with its crackdown, which has led to gambling syndicates in Melaka shutting down operations and moving out. The blitz is still ongoing with two policemen and two prison warders being charged in Kelantan.

PUTRAJAYA: When RM800,000 in cold, hard cash was found in a police corporal’s Melaka house , it shocked even the most seasoned graft busters. The money is nearly 26 years of his highest-possible salary.

However, the corporal, who is attached to the Melaka police contingent headquarters’ secret societies, gambling and vice division (D7) denied that the money – found in the storeroom of his quarters – was his.

The 52-year-old is the 10th person arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with the case of Melaka police personnel allegedly giving protection to illegal gambling dens and massage parlours.

Sources familiar with the case said the corporal claimed to be holding the money for his superior, an Assistant Superintendent who is now under remand.

“We knew that there was a possibility that we would be finding a substantial amount of money but not that much,” an MACC source told The Star.

The source said the corporal’s claim that he was just holding the money for his superior would be investigated.

“We have both of them in custody, so we will find out more – who the money belongs to, why this man is keeping a lot of cash in his house, and where the money came from,” the source said.

The corporal was picked up at his home at around 2.30pm on Wednesday as the anti-graft body continues its investigation into a protection racket for gambling dens and massage parlours said to be run by senior cops.

He was taken to a court here where magistrate Nik Isfahanie Tasnim Wan Ab Rahman issued a one-week remand order until May 24.

So far, six other police personnel – two district police chiefs with the rank of Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Superintendent, two Assistant Superintendents and two Inspectors – have been remanded to help in MACC’s probe.

Three other individuals, two middlemen and an illegal gambling den operator, are also in MACC custody.

In an unrelated case, an officer with the Subang Jaya district police was remanded for six days over allegations of receiving a RM5,000 bribe.

The 35-year-old inspector was arrested at 1.10pm at his office on Wednesday.

He is alleged to have demanded and accepted the money in return for not bringing a criminal intimidation case to court.

Source: The Star

OCPDs detained (Updated) - theSundaily

Gambling dens masquerading as cybercafes

The recent case in Puchong may be only the tip of the iceberg, with many illegal outlets operating within the Klang Valley. IT’S no big secret. Illegal gambling dens are thriving in the Klang Valley.

From time to time, the local councils and district police have conducted raids, but the mushrooming of these vice dens has led many to accuse the authorities of turning a blind eye to such activities.

Hardcore gamblers know where to go to get their gambling fix, but the public in general are only starting to realise the severity of the situation because of a viral video and several high-profile arrests of cops over the last few days.

The viral video shows two men entering a so-called cybercafe in Bandara Kinrara, Puchong. They rob the outlet and then take turns to rape the cashier in a hidden corner of the outlet.

While police have acted swiftly – one suspect identified from the video is now in custody – it has now transpired that the cybercafe was actually an illegal gambling den.

In fact, this is now the modus operandi of these gambling outlets. You will see a lot of desktop computers when you enter the premises, but the jackpot machines are hidden at the back.

The robbery of the cybercafe itself would have been chalked off as another crime statistic in the police district of Serdang, but the sexual assault of the unfortunate cashier and the subsequent furore on social media have thrust the case into public consciousness.

The truth is, these illegal gambling outlets have long been protected and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) current crackdown on rogue cops serves only to highlight this fact.

The Star reported yesterday that two OCPDs from Melaka – one an assistant commissioner and the other a deputy superintendent – were arrested by anti-graft officers for links to organised crime syndicates.

These two high-profile arrests come hot on the heels of a swoop on four other senior officers in an operation codenamed Ops Gopi. All six of these cops are believed to be in cahoots with illegal gambling and vice operators in Melaka.

So far, anti-graft officers have seized RM186,000 in cash and have frozen the bank accounts of all suspects, totalling more than RM459,000. MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said his officers were in the midst of tracing the links.

“Give us some time to unearth the inner networking. There may be more arrests depending on the course of our investigations,” he said.

What is even more alarming is information that officers in Bukit Aman could also be implicated in this protection racket. Sources say these officers had knowledge of illegal gambling and vice activities and were actively involved in collecting money from them.

The MACC should be commended for their crackdown on rogue cops, but they should also be training their guns on the Klang Valley. As I mentioned earlier, illegal gambling dens are operating with impunity in Selangor. These outlets can be found in Rawang, Klang, Selayang, Shah Alam, Sepang and even Petaling Jaya.

A few days ago, eight policemen were taken into custody in separate raids in the Klang Valley by Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department. But this investigation seems to be focused on drug dealers and their links to crooked cops, the result of which has been a major shake-up in the federal police’s Narcotics Department.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has said that he will not condone or protect those involved in illegal activities. “Stern action will be meted out against any personnel, regardless of rank,” he warned.

Once again, kudos to the cops for trying to get rid of this cancer which has infected the force, but the recent rob-and-rape case at the illegal gambling outlet took place just 1km away from the district police headquarters in Serdang.

Three years ago, StarMetro highlighted the fact that there were up to 40 illegal gambling dens in the Sepang district within a 5km radius. After the exposé, the majority of these outlets were shut down, but recent checks show that a number of them have sprung up again. And almost all them operate behind closed doors.

The outlets could be next to a bank, restaurant, convenience store or even a workshop, but the public remains unaware, thanks to the presence of solid metal shutters and grilles.

However, regular gamblers know that they can get in through a secret door hidden in the stairwell. The door is made of heavily tinted glass with a “no helmet” sticker on it, which serves as a code to identify the outlet.

Another common feature is a switch for a bell on the side of the door. Security is tight as the door and the five-foot way in front of the gambling dens are usually under close surveillance through CCTV.

While fingers are being pointed at police for “overlooking” illegal activities in their midst, questions should also be asked about the roles of the local councils.

The local authorities are quick to take action over unpaid assessment and quit rent, but what about cracking down on illegal gambling outlets that do not have business licences?

The writer believes that these outlets could have obtained legitimate cybercafe operating licences. The onus is on the local authorities to ensure that these business licences are not being abused.

Source: by brian martin

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Thursday, May 4, 2017

Angry & frustrated investors lodged report, tell off staffs trying to buy time!

Angry investors who lodged a police report at the Pekan Kinrara station. Waiting for answers:

His first investment scheme failed with losses estimated at between RM400mil and RM1.7bil but JJPTR founder Johnson Lee has brazenly come up with a new one offering even higher returns of 35% a month and with a car, motorcycles and smartphones thrown in as lucky draw prizes. Many of his investors still have faith in him but those in another scheme, Change Your Life, are in a quandary. They now have to choose between getting lower returns or changing to ‘life points’ – and waiting.

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JJPTR offers ‘better’ plan

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/05/03/jjptr-offers-better-plan-founder-promises-higher-returns-but-stays-mum-on-refunds/

After the spectacular collapse of his previous financial scheme, purportedly because of a hacked account, controversial scheme operator Johnson Lee has rolled out a new plan, claiming to offer even better returns.

While JJPTR’s earlier scheme – which ended with RM500mil missing from the company’s account – offered returns of 20% a month, this new one offers 35%.

On top of that, it offers special lucky draws with a new car, motorcycles and smartphones as prizes.

What the company did not say in the shining glossary of the new plan is how Lee plans to address the US$400mil (RM1.73bil) losses he claims the company has incurred.

The new scheme also does not explain how he plans to repay those who lost their money to the earlier scheme.

The one-and-a-half minute video Lee uploaded shows that the new plan is based on a “split mechanism” and has three rounds.

The initial investment in US dollars is “split” or doubled in each round. Half of it is re-invested in the scheme and rolls over to the next round.

Each round lasts 10 days and investors are allowed to convert their earnings back to ringgit after three rounds.

Anyone who invests US$1,000 (RM4,331) is expected to receive US$450 (RM1,949) in each round, making it a return of US$1,350 (RM5,847) by the end of round three.

Under the proposed new scheme, investors will also be rewarded with JJ Points, which can be used in exchange for goods via its shopping platform JJ Mart.

The new scheme was announced by the 28-year-old Lee last Tuesday after news broke that his company had gone bust.

The company did not say when the new plan would start.

Attempts to contact Lee were futile and the number listed on the JJPTR Facebook page is already out of service.

A visit to the company’s offices in Penang showed that investors were no longer lining up for answers.

Instead, the staff, who preferred not to be photographed, were seen sitting at empty counters.

Penang-based JJPTR, or Jie Jiu Pu Tong Ren in Mandarin (salvation for the common people), came under the spotlight when investors complained that they did not get their scheduled payment last month.

JJPTR, JJ Poor to Rich and JJ Global Network are among the entities listed as unauthorised companies under Bank Negara Malaysia’s Financial Consumer Alert.

Records from the Companies Commission of Malaysia showed that JJ Global Network was a “RM2 company” owned by Lee and his former girlfriend Tan Kai Lee, 24. Each hold a single share.

Lee’s father Thean Chye, 58, and Tan are also directors of another company called JJ Global Network Holdings Bhd.

Thean Chye, who was an assistant professor at Southern University College in Johor, resigned on Wednesday after the JJPTR losses came to light.

Source: The Star/ANN

Investor tells off staff after failing to get refund

Business as usual: Employees explaining the refund process and new scheme to investors at the JJPTR main office in Perak Road, Penang.

GEORGE TOWN: An investor, frustrated over not getting a promised refund on his stake, told off several female employees at the main JJPTR office in Perak Road.

The man, in his 40s, was heard having an exchange of words with the staff after being told that it may take “a few more days” before he could get his money.

He told them Johnson Lee, the founder of JJPTR, had said that the money was refunded to JJ2 scheme investors some days ago.

“But until today, I haven’t got my money back.

“I just want to know if the refund has been made or are you in the midst of processing the refund?

“If he has not started the refund, just be honest with the investors.”

He insisted on getting a firm date on when he would get back his money but the employees replied that they would need at least five working days.

He then demanded their names but they refused him.

“You don’t even dare give me your names. If I want to lodge a report, I won’t be able to provide the police with details.

“And don’t tell me you need days for a bank transfer. It only takes hours,” he said.

As he left the office, several journalists approached him for comment but were turned down.

“I don’t want to talk to reporters. You are all just causing trouble for us. I can get things done on my own,” he said. JJPTR, or Jie Jiu Pu Tong Ren (“salvation for the common people” in Mandarin), is a Penang-based company that came under the spotlight when its investors complained that they did not get their scheduled profits last month.

According to online and media reports, the investors stand to lose RM500mil. They reportedly number in the tens of thousands, comprising Malaysians and foreigners from Canada, the United States and China.

Lee, who has blamed the loss on hackers, put the figure at US$400mil (RM1.75bil) in a widely-circulated video clip.

JJPTR, JJ Poor to Rich and JJ Global Network are listed as unauthorised companies by Bank Negara Malaysia.

Source: The Star/ANN

JJPTR just trying to buy time, says ‘scam buster’

“Scam buster” Afyan Mat Rawi has ridiculed JJPTR’s new plan, calling it “unsustainable” and nothing but a forex scheme to placate angry investors.

Once a victim of an investment scam himself, the 37-year-old financial adviser said investors should stay away from the scheme, which he described as “illogical”.

“The investors are angry right now, and JJPTR is trying to pacify them by introducing this new plan.

“A 35% return at the end of the three rounds (one month) is illogical. Where would the company find all the money to reinvest?

“The new plan is just a way for them to buy time,” Afyan said.

He said any investment scheme promising returns of more than 15% in a year will ultimately collapse.

“No legitimate scheme will guarantee an annual return of more than 15%. Any scheme claiming to do otherwise has to be a scam.

“Like most other pyramid schemes, the (JJPTR) forex scheme will collapse when there is no entry of new investors.”

Afyan said that despite getting flak from investors after allegedly losing RM500mil due to its accounts being hacked, it was still “possible” for JJPTR to entice old and new investors to subscribe to the new plan, which promises higher returns and special lucky draws.

“Some investors may leave, because they no longer see hope but those in the “top tier” will continue finding new victims as they’ve already invested so much.

“Unfortunately, there will still be people who believe in them,” he related.

Commenting on a video of founder Johnson Lee announcing the new plan via JJPTR Malaysia’s Facebook page, Afyan said the laws in Malaysia were not harsh enough to serve as deterrent for so-called “scammers”.

He claimed that the only person to have been severely punished for operating an illegal investment scheme was Pak Man Telo, or Othman Hamzah, who was jailed and banished to Terengganu from Perak in the early 1990s.

Othman reportedly enticed 50,000 people to invest in his getrich-quick scheme, commonly known as the Pak Man Telo scheme, and managed to rake in RM90mil before being arrested, tried and sent to prison for two years. He died in Terengganu a few years later.

Ever since then, Afyan claimed, convicted scammers have been getting away easy.

“At most, scammers will be arrested and remanded. But you don’t hear about them serving time in prison. They’ve already made millions, billions, in profits.

“A penalty of a few thousand ringgit is nothing to them,” he said.

Afyan, who lost RM300 to a getrich-quick scheme while he was a university student in 2003, worked in Islamic insurance and financial planning after graduating.

He created a Facebook page in 2008 to share information on questionable investment opportunities, earning him the nickname “scam buster”.

He claims to have uncovered about 50 dubious companies so far.

Source: The Star/ANN

Minister tells investors to be wary of JJPTR’s new offer
Her investment grew to RM3.5mil but she can’t take out a sen
Get-rich-quick scheme leaves cattle rearer poorer by RM48,000
Her investment grew to RM3.5mil but she can't take out a sen - Nation

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Sunday, February 26, 2017

Police must act swiftly

Several recent crime cases have shaken Malaysians quite a bit. We leave it to our police force to provide answers to this madness.

RECENTLY, several widely reported crime cases, which many Malaysians are following, have really shaken us.

Yes, Malaysians complain a lot, and rightly so, about the never-ending burglaries and snatch theft cases in our neighbourhood and streets but these are merely incidents involving petty criminals.

Yes, we lose money and sometimes, there are fatalities involved but most are non-brutal and the motives are established quickly. I am not even talking about the high profile assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the exiled half-brother of North Korean dictator Jong-un, at the KLIA2 which has grabbed the world’s attention.

Kim Jong-nam's 'assassin' reveals her racy side in new pics ... - The Sun

The police have been swift – two women who committed the crime were arrested and other suspects were taken in while more North Korean suspects have been identified.

There has been plenty of noise from the North Korean embassy but the case is being wrapped up, with fresh leads being revealed to the public daily.

But what has disturbed me most is the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh Keng Joo, who is well-known among the Christian community in Malaysia.

It has been reported that on Feb 13, occupants of a van stopped the pastor’s car, a silver Honda Accord, along Jalan Bahagia, Petaling Jaya, and abducted him.

(Left) Koh: Abducted in broad daylight. (Right) Sameera: Brutally murdered.

He had earlier left his Prima Sixteen Chapter Two home in Jalan 16/18, Petaling Jaya, at about 10am to go to the Puncak Damansara Condominium in Kampung Sg Kayu Ara, not far away. Koh’s family said the 62-year-old was en route to a friend’s home.

So far, there has been no ransom demanded or motive identified. We still don’t know the reason for the kidnapping.

A CCTV footage, currently with the police, purportedly showed the abduction taking place on a busy road.

It is believed that the pastor’s abduction involved several vehicles. It was professionally and very swiftly executed.

The case is under the personal attention of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, who announced that a special task force has been formed to investigate the case, saying police had recorded statements from eight witnesses but admitted that there had been little information to go on.

The team is led by Selangor Criminal Investigations Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Fadzil Ahmat.

The case is most baffling. Ours is not a South American or Middle Eastern country where people get abducted from busy streets.

The abductors appeared to be very organised, almost professional-like, in carrying out their task. One of them even diverted traffic while others grabbed Koh.

The fact that they have not demanded any ransom shows that they are not ordinary kidnappers looking for money.

The only possible answer is that some persons (or group) are not happy with the way he is handling his work. Koh’s colleagues have revealed that a bullet was sent to the pastor six years ago after the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) conducted a raid on a thanksgiving and fund-raising dinner organised at a church in Petaling Jaya, where he was accused of proselytising to Muslims.

Religious leaders of any faith must be mindful that attempting to convert anyone is really crossing the line. The majority of Muslims will not tolerate any attempt of proselytising, even in the most subtle form, and leaders of other faiths must understand and accept the sensitivity and reality of the situation.

However, any grievances or complaints relating to religion, a sensitive issue, should be directed to the religious authorities and police. In this case, the pastor was snatched away with no obvious clues, and no claims have been made.

This is distressing, and his wife has understandably sought counselling in Singapore as the family agonises over the unexplained incident.

In the absence of any information, this has led to speculation and it is unhealthy for Malaysia as we take pride in our religious diversity and tolerance in resolving conflicts.

The other widely talked about case involved transgender Sameera Krishnan, who was brutally murdered on Thursday. She was shot, had four fingers severed and suffered head injuries.

The cruelty inflicted on her was horrifying and something Malaysians just cannot imagine. Interestingly, Sameera was the main witness in her own kidnapping case two years ago and the trial has been set to begin early next month.

In 2015, she was rescued by police after she was abducted from her home in Klang, and repeatedly sodomised.

Enough. Malaysians must stand up and demand for justice. While Malaysia does not condone LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender), this does not mean Sameera’s life is worth any less than ours. It doesn’t matter whether we refer to Sameera as him or her.

The fact is this – she was murdered and sexually violated. Her pride and dignity were snatched away from her and despite the prejudices of many Malaysians, this should not, in any way, diminish the diligence and commitment needed to solve the crime.

Her perpetrators must be brought to justice and if we have any conscience at all, we should all be furious. It will be abnormal to be indifferent about this. Sameera deserves justice, just like anyone else.

I believe that Malaysia is a country where minorities are protected. There are laws in our country and they are upheld.

The police have been professional, and I believe and respect our police force. They take every bit of information seriously and in my regular dealings with them, I have developed even more respect for them. They trudge on diligently despite their impossibly heavy work load.

I hope they will bring some sense and provide us answers to the madness and along the way, some reassurances to the public.

On The Beat By Wong Chun Wai The Star

Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 27 years in various capacities and roles. He is now the group's managing director/chief executive officer and formerly the group chief editor.

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