POSING as figures in authority is a common tactic used by scam syndicates to dupe the public, and their tactics evolve as law enforcement continues to crack down.
The latest tactic is said to target employers of foreign workers detained in Immigration enforcement operations.
Is it true that scammers are posing as Immigration officers to deceive employers into forking out cash to secure the release of foreign workers from detention?
VERDICT:
TRUE
The Selangor Immigration Department has uncovered a new tactic used by syndicate members who impersonate Immigration officers to deceive employers, claiming they can secure the release of foreign workers detained during enforcement operations, Bernama reports.
State Immigration director Khairrul Aminus Kamaruddin told Bernama that the syndicate, which operates as a “middleman”, takes advantage of every enforcement operation to exploit unsuspecting employers.
“Every time we conduct an operation, there will be scammers or individuals who misuse the Immigration Department’s name by calling employers and claiming to be Selangor Immigration officers.
“This syndicate will request payment through the Touch’n Go application or in cash, on the pretext of securing the release of foreign workers detained during the operation,” he told Bernama after taking part in an enforcement operation in Pelangi Damansara, Petaling Jaya, on Thursday (Nov 13) night.
He said employers ended up paying between RM5,000 and RM10,000 for each worker without verifying the claims, only to discover later – when they went to the Immigration office in Shah Alam – that the phone number used for payment was no longer active.
Khairrul Aminus said the fraudulent activity has been active since last month and has caused losses of about RM57,000 to several employers.
He said the syndicate also used the names and photographs of actual Immigration officers to convince employers to make payments.
Several police reports have been lodged, and the department advises employers not to deal with third parties for the release of their workers.
He said that if a foreign worker is detained, the employer must present the original documents for verification before the release process can be carried out according to legal procedures.
“Most of them (the workers) have valid documents, but their passports are held by the employer. Therefore, the employer must bring the original passport, and we will release the workers according to the proper procedure,” he said.
