Failed to make profit in Myanmar, Malaysian man allegedly attempts to extort over US$10,000 ‘ransom’ from parent

SELANGOR, MALAYSIA: A Malaysian man, claiming to be ensnared in a job scam in Myanmar, made an audacious demand for a RM 50,000 (approximately US$10,620) ransom from his family.

However, his elaborate ploy was uncovered by Lee Khai Ming, a dedicated volunteer from the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) Balakong branch.

Mr Lee recently shared the case with the Malaysian Chinese media outlet, Sinchew Daily News.

According to him, this individual, recognized for his engagement in questionable practices, initially orchestrated fraudulent activities within the local vicinity before expanding his operations into Myanmar.

Having failed to yield any profit there, he allegedly resorted to targeting his own parents for financial gain.

Deceptive plea: Estranged son’s manipulative bid for money revealed

Estranged from his parents for an extended period, this man suddenly sought their aid.

His parents, unsure how to handle the situation, sought assistance from Mr Lee.

Yet, upon hearing the man’s plea for money to secure his release, Lee astutely identified numerous inconsistencies, confirming that the man’s sole motive was to deceive his parents for monetary gain.

Mr Lee believed that the individual had allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities locally before expanding these deceitful practices into Myanmar.

The awareness of his illicit activities by his parents had strained their relationship, resulting in a prolonged lack of contact. Thus, the sudden request for RM 50,000 caught them off guard.

Lee acknowledged the recent high-profile cases of Malaysians falling prey to job scams in Myanmar, which have received significant attention.

“Understandably, any family receiving distress calls from their loved ones supposedly stranded in Myanmar would be deeply concerned, “Mr Lee said.

However, Mr Lee criticised that in this particular case, the man exploited the narrative of recent incidents solely to extract money from his parents.

Renowned for his dedicated community service, Lee shared that besides assisting people in resolving issues related to loan shark scams, there has been an uptick in cases involving individuals victimized by job scams.

He believed that some individuals sought opportunities for prosperity but faced starkly different realities in unfamiliar territories. Failing to cope, they found themselves compelled to seek aid from their families.

Additionally, Lee highlighted that the cases of individuals claiming to have fallen victim to job scams weren’t exclusively from the notorious KK scam site; there exist scam zones in various parts of Myanmar as well.

Another case of engaging in scam activities in Myanmar in a bid to settle debts

For instance, he recounted a case where a person, burdened by substantial debts, travelled to Myanmar in an attempt to earn money to settle them.

“However, upon arrival, they struggled to adapt and sought refuge in a temple in Northern Thailand to evade pursuit by a group involved in scams.”

Despite reaching out to Lee through an intermediary, the person faced bankruptcy, lacked a passport, and had entered Myanmar illegally, rendering Lee unable to provide assistance.

He pointed out that, from what he knows, the person later received help from kind-hearted individuals and found legitimate work in other parts of Thailand.

“As for his future, it was uncertain and dependent on fate, “he said.

Lee stressed that while not every request for help could be fulfilled, he aims to handle situations judiciously, tailoring his response to specific circumstances.

When possible, he endeavours to employ his capabilities to assist those in need.

Over the past two months, Lee dealt with a majority of cases linked to the “loan shark” scam, orchestrated by various scammers.

This prompted him to conduct live broadcasts cautioning people against online borrowing, highlighting the myriad traps associated with it.

Syndicate tactics: Demand for high ransoms from victims’ families

Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim, Secretary-General of the Malaysian Humanitarian Organization (MHO), previously cautioned about the syndicate’s modus operandi, which involves contacting victims’ families and demanding steep ransoms.

Failure to comply results in victims being subjected to abuse, deprivation of food, and physical assaults with blunt objects.

The ransom amounts demanded by the syndicate have ranged from RM30,000 to RM150,000, creating a heavy burden for the victims’ families.

In one instance, a family had already paid RM150,000, only to find that the syndicate had not released the victim as promised.

In one case, a family was coerced into paying a staggering RM1.2 million (US$ 255,781), having already disbursed RM90,000 to the syndicate to secure the victim’s release.

This financial strain forced the family to sell their land to obtain the necessary funds.