(Sibu Jan 20) As the Lunar New Year approaches and people busy themselves with preparations for festive celebrations, weddings, and religious ceremonies, online fraud groups are also becoming increasingly active. Dato' Dr. Wu Biaosheng, President of the Sibu Chinese Association and Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce, issued a statement urgently calling on the public to remain vigilant as the new year draws near, and to beware of the recent surge of 'cheap BBQ golden pigs' and various online ordering scams on social media.
Dato' Wu Biaosheng revealed that he personally experienced a 'Facebook fake order scam' recently, in which he nearly fell into a 'super cheap roast suckling pig' fraud trap.
He stated that he came across a Facebook ad selling roast suckling pigs at a price far below market value, with the seller claiming limited supply and offering cash on delivery. The photos were of high quality, their responses were quick, and the operation appeared very professional—highly deceptive.
"After I inquired via WhatsApp, the other party suddenly requested a video call to 'show the menu,' which raised my suspicion. There's no need for a video call just to see a menu, so I refused the call and asked them to just send the information directly."
He said that his family later reminded him that the ad was very likely a scam, but he still thought, "How could cash on delivery be a scam?" Thankfully, after he further investigated the account and page background, he discovered it was a fake account and confirmed it was a carefully planned scam. Fortunately, no funds were transferred, and he narrowly avoided being scammed.
Even more shocking, not long after his own close call, he received a friend's request for help regarding a more serious series of scams.
According to Dato' Wu, his friend's wife was tricked by a scam group when placing an order for vegetarian food via phone number—the order details were stolen and her phone and contacts were likely hacked.
Subsequently, the scammers impersonated her and sent messages to many contacts in her address book, falsely claiming urgent need to pay a 'roof repair fee,' promising to repay immediately afterwards."
He further noted that according to the WhatsApp chat records provided by the victim's relatives and friends, the scammer's impersonations were highly convincing, almost indistinguishable from daily conversations between real friends and family. The records are as follows:
5:18 p.m.
Yaner, can you transfer money online? Can you help me transfer? I'll go to the bank later to repay you, I don't know how to transfer online
5:21 p.m.
"Could you transfer for me first? Later I'll go to the bank and repay you."
5:22 p.m.
"RM2799."
"Later, I'll return it to you at around 7:30."
5:22 p.m.
Friend replied: "Is fixing the roof that expensive?"
The other replied: "Yes, nothing is cheap nowadays."
5:23 p.m.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely transfer it back to you by 7."
Friend replied: "Mm, okay."
5:24 p.m.
The other party then sent the bank details,
BANK: RYTBANK
NAME: BERANDA
ACC: 8564166104.
5:25 p.m.
Urgently requested the transfer, emphasizing that a photo of the transfer receipt must be sent 'for confirmation.'
Without any suspicion, the friend immediately transferred RM2799 to the account provided. It was only after contacting the actual person that they realized the entire conversation was orchestrated by a scammer and the money had already fallen into their hands.
"This is one of the most dangerous new types of scams—it's not just about stealing money, but hacking your phone, stealing your identity, and then scamming your closest friends and family. One victim could mean a whole circle of relatives and friends fall victim too, with very serious consequences."
Dato' Wu stated that after the incident, he immediately advised his friend to report to the police and to announce a clarification on Facebook, emphasizing that he had not borrowed money from anyone or requested transfers, to prevent more friends and relatives from being deceived.
He therefore solemnly urges the public to stay alert during the new year period: never place orders with unfamiliar Facebook accounts; be highly wary of products priced suspiciously low; do not click suspicious links or download unknown files; always call or use voice verification for any messages involving 'borrowing' or 'requests for transfers'; if you suspect you've been scammed, immediately contact your bank to freeze your account and report to the police.
He also called on those who have already fallen victim to promptly report to authorities and quickly clarify the situation on social media, to prevent more relatives and friends from being deceived.
"Fraud is no longer a question of 'if,' but rather 'when.' Money is truly hard to earn—may everyone be a little more cautious and not let scammers take advantage."
He concluded by urging all associations, chambers of commerce, and the media to help disseminate scam prevention information during the new year, reminding more people to be vigilant and to safeguard their hard-earned money.
Dato' Wu Biaosheng revealed that he personally experienced a 'Facebook fake order scam' recently, in which he nearly fell into a 'super cheap roast suckling pig' fraud trap.
He stated that he came across a Facebook ad selling roast suckling pigs at a price far below market value, with the seller claiming limited supply and offering cash on delivery. The photos were of high quality, their responses were quick, and the operation appeared very professional—highly deceptive.
He said that his family later reminded him that the ad was very likely a scam, but he still thought, "How could cash on delivery be a scam?" Thankfully, after he further investigated the account and page background, he discovered it was a fake account and confirmed it was a carefully planned scam. Fortunately, no funds were transferred, and he narrowly avoided being scammed.
Even more shocking, not long after his own close call, he received a friend's request for help regarding a more serious series of scams.
According to Dato' Wu, his friend's wife was tricked by a scam group when placing an order for vegetarian food via phone number—the order details were stolen and her phone and contacts were likely hacked.
Subsequently, the scammers impersonated her and sent messages to many contacts in her address book, falsely claiming urgent need to pay a 'roof repair fee,' promising to repay immediately afterwards."
He further noted that according to the WhatsApp chat records provided by the victim's relatives and friends, the scammer's impersonations were highly convincing, almost indistinguishable from daily conversations between real friends and family. The records are as follows:
5:18 p.m.
Yaner, can you transfer money online? Can you help me transfer? I'll go to the bank later to repay you, I don't know how to transfer online
5:21 p.m.
"Could you transfer for me first? Later I'll go to the bank and repay you."
5:22 p.m.
"RM2799."
"Later, I'll return it to you at around 7:30."
5:22 p.m.
Friend replied: "Is fixing the roof that expensive?"
The other replied: "Yes, nothing is cheap nowadays."
5:23 p.m.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely transfer it back to you by 7."
Friend replied: "Mm, okay."
5:24 p.m.
The other party then sent the bank details,
BANK: RYTBANK
NAME: BERANDA
ACC: 8564166104.
5:25 p.m.
Urgently requested the transfer, emphasizing that a photo of the transfer receipt must be sent 'for confirmation.'
Without any suspicion, the friend immediately transferred RM2799 to the account provided. It was only after contacting the actual person that they realized the entire conversation was orchestrated by a scammer and the money had already fallen into their hands.
"This is one of the most dangerous new types of scams—it's not just about stealing money, but hacking your phone, stealing your identity, and then scamming your closest friends and family. One victim could mean a whole circle of relatives and friends fall victim too, with very serious consequences."
Dato' Wu stated that after the incident, he immediately advised his friend to report to the police and to announce a clarification on Facebook, emphasizing that he had not borrowed money from anyone or requested transfers, to prevent more friends and relatives from being deceived.
He therefore solemnly urges the public to stay alert during the new year period: never place orders with unfamiliar Facebook accounts; be highly wary of products priced suspiciously low; do not click suspicious links or download unknown files; always call or use voice verification for any messages involving 'borrowing' or 'requests for transfers'; if you suspect you've been scammed, immediately contact your bank to freeze your account and report to the police.
He also called on those who have already fallen victim to promptly report to authorities and quickly clarify the situation on social media, to prevent more relatives and friends from being deceived.
"Fraud is no longer a question of 'if,' but rather 'when.' Money is truly hard to earn—may everyone be a little more cautious and not let scammers take advantage."
He concluded by urging all associations, chambers of commerce, and the media to help disseminate scam prevention information during the new year, reminding more people to be vigilant and to safeguard their hard-earned money.