KUALA LUMPUR: A group of women claimed to have been scammed by a local influencer who allegedly sold them laboratory-grown diamonds and jade jewellery instead of real ones.
One of the victims, who only wanted to be identified as Miss P, said she suffered losses amounting to RM600,000 after purchasing what she believed were natural diamonds from the influencer.
“The influencer claimed that the diamonds she sold were natural, but when I had them authenticated, I discovered they were lab-grown,” she said.
She added that she also lost about RM99,000 after buying other jewellery and pendants from the same seller.
Another victim, who only wanted to be identified as Koh, alleged that she was attracted to products promoted by the influencer, such as jade pendants and diamonds.
She said she was asked to pay a deposit before being allowed to chat with the influencer.
Koh made two transactions for a jade pendant, totalling RM3,000.
She also joined a lucky draw event that promised various types of jewellery prizes after paying another RM3,000 deposit.
“The influencer claimed she sold real diamonds, but we received lab-grown ones instead. If she had been honest, we could have negotiated the price accordingly,” she said.
Lawyer Esther Hor, who represents the victims, said some makeup products sold by the influencer were also falsely advertised as chemical-free, but were later found to contain mercury.
She added that the influencer had claimed to be a qualified appraiser capable of identifying genuine diamonds and reading feng shui.
“When the victims requested refunds, they were told the items were non-refundable. Several victims also claimed that jewellery pieces of the same size were sold at different prices,” Hor said.
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said up to 30 police reports had been lodged, some dating back to 2023.
“We estimate total losses at around RM1 million. A team of lawyers will investigate to determine if there are elements of fraud,” he said.
Chong advised the public to be cautious when purchasing items from influencers.
“This is just the beginning — we believe more cases will emerge,” he added.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
