Malaysian catering company scammed by fake ‘Universiti Malaya’ order, files police report

MALAYSIA: A catering company in Kuala Lumpur falls victim to a scam, receiving a forged order allegedly from “Universiti Malaya” for a 500-person event.

The incident came to light after the company, PichaEats, shared their ordeal on their official Facebook account on Friday (7 June).

The sequence of events began on Wednesday (5 June) when the company received an urgent request from an individual claiming to represent Universiti Malaya.

The order was for a 500-person event scheduled for Friday (7 June) allegedly due to their usual vendor backing out at the last minute.

After signing the necessary documents, the company’s team of 15 chefs promptly began preparations, purchasing ingredients and getting everything ready for the large order.

However, on the day of the supposed event, the catering company discovered the shocking truth: there was no event.

The documents were forged, and the entire order was a scam.

“Long story short, it’s a scam/prank. There’s actually NO event or order and the documents are forged,” PichaEats shared on social media.

This revelation left the company in a precarious situation, with significant financial losses and a surplus of ingredients meant for 500 meals.

To make matters worse, they later discovered that another catering company had faced a similar scam just a day earlier, also suffering considerable financial loss.

Turns crisis into community opportunity

To mitigate the loss, PichaEats quickly turned the situation into an opportunity to serve the community.

They issued a heartfelt plea on social media, asking for help in purchasing or donating the surplus meals.

“If you need food for today (lunch, high tea, dinner) for your family, office gathering, or would like to donate so we can distribute the meals to communities in need, please DM us!” they wrote.

The company also shared five emergency menus, and the response was overwhelming.

Later updates from PichaEats brought positive news as they announced the successful sale of all meals.

“Thanks to you, the 15 Picha Chefs are not at a loss,” they expressed, along with gratitude for the support received.

“We truly appreciate your incredible support.”

PichaEats files police report

In response to the scam, PichaEats is filing a police report and notifying Universiti Malaya about the misuse of their name by scammers.

They also provided tips for the public, advising everyone to check suspicious phone numbers on the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) portal to verify if they belong to scammers.

Netizens highlight government contract procedures

In response to the unfortunate incident faced by PichaEats, several netizens have shed light on the procedures involved in government contracts.

One commenter shared their experience, highlighting that dealings with government departments, such as Prime Minister’s Department (JPM), are routed through e-Perolehan.

They emphasized that companies not registered on e-Perolehan would not be engaged in transactions.

Additionally, another commenter pointed out that any government catering or job exceeding RM500 necessitates a tender process, with vendors required to be registered beforehand.

These contracts are subject to payment procedures conducted through e-Perolehan, an online platform, which eliminates cash transactions entirely.

Furthermore, in instances where a caterer withdraws from an engagement, the government typically resorts to the next qualified vendor within the tender process, rather than seeking alternative sources.