Scammers Used Malaysian Bank Without Fear

The following article depicted a Malaysian's predicament involving scammers who partly operated within Malaysia. Malaysian banks have been used by pro scammers in accepting victims' money.
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I wish to share this experience with all Malaysians, so they know what the banks actually do. Also to share details of scammers and their bank details.

A friend of mine was scammed by someone she met online. This person had been communicating with her and later claimed to want to marry her. Obviously he was from the UK with a UK mobile number. During their last conversation, he told her that he would be coming down to Malaysia to meet her family in two weeks and in the mean time, he was sending her some gifts. He claimed that the parcel contained a laptop, a diamond ring, flowers, perfumes and 5000 pounds. He also gave her a fake website for the so called courier company that would be handling the delivery. The name of the so called company is ‘GLOBAL EXPRESS SERVICES’ supposedly based in Sabah. If you check out the website, it does not have any land line or fax line, all the numbers listed are local handphone numbers. I know, I know my friend was stupid to actually believe the guy was genuine. Many have tried this scam with me before but I knew it was a scam and never bothered.

Anyway to make the long story short, she was given a personal bank account number to bank in a total of approximately RM8,000 supposedly for custom clearance and insurance. Which she stupidly did. The account number provided was as follows :-

Name : HUZAIDAH BINTI HUSSIN
Bank : CIMB A/C 12510075365528

Unfortunately for my friend, I only knew of this after she made a police report when despite banking in the money, she did not receive the parcel. In fact she did not even realize that the person she had been communicating with is involved in the scam and the person supposedly from the courier company was actually an African/Nigerian which I told her after calling the mobile number and pretending to ask for someone else. From his accent, it was obvious but she never realized it.

Anyway I took her to the nearest CIMB branch to make a report and to try to get the money back. I requested the officer to hold back the funds and do not allow any withdrawals as the account holder is a scammer and we were also informed that the RM8,000 plus is still in the account. She tells me that since the account does not belong to her branch, she is not able to do that. She informed us that the branch is their Kepong branch and so I asked her to call up the branch and ask them to immediately stop withdrawals and we will go to that branch and provide all the evidence and make our claim. That done we went to the kepong branch and provided all the evidence to the officer and requested that the money be refunded as there is clear cut evidence that it’s a scam. Even the police report was given with the deposit slips.

This happened on the 3/9/2008. The officer tells us that he will get his managers approval and call us if approved. After several days, I call the said officer only to be told that the legal department is handling it and they are investigating the case. I informed him that why should the case take that long to investigate as all evidence confirming the account holder is a scammer has been provided including write ups from other people who have been scammed by the same group. He tells me I am not able to speak to the legal officer handling it and can only liaise with the branch concerned.

Anyway again to make matters short, after making lots of noise and telling of the operator, I finally get to speak to a legal officer who tells me to call a Miss Rajesh based at the kepong branch as she is handling the case. I called her and she tells me nothing just that she does not know when it would be resolved and when I asked her to at least give me a date, she says she does not know and is very rude. I tried to explain to her to speed up the refund as my friend had borrowed the money from a money lender and thus paying a high interest as she thought that she would pay back once she received the parcel which also contained money. This Miss Rajesh tells me rudely ‘the bank is not bothered about that’. This of course pissed me off and I gave her a good piece of my mind, telling her yes I know the bank could not be bothered, only when people are doing well, they will run after them like a dog begging them to take loans etc. I had also spoken to the National Cosumer Complaints Center and provided all the details to them. Thus I told this Miss Rajesh as she was very rude and not helpful at all that from now the NCCC will communicate with her.

I even called BNM and have written to them about this. BNM says they have given CIMB 2 week to respond. BNM also tells me they have no procedures to deal with scammers, and that it falls under the police jurisdiction to take action. Despite the fact that so many people are being scammed, should not BNM be proactive and come up with proper procedures requiring all banks to report any scam accounts and all banks to be forwarded the report so they should blacklist this scammers and not allow them to open the account. BNM tells me that scamming comes under fraud and thus the police would have to get a court order to freeze the account, which could take weeks of not months considering how slow our judiciary works.

Despite making a police report and the police having all the scammers details including phone number, addresses, bank accounts etc, they have not bothered to apprehend and arrest these scoundrels. Instead they waste their time going after innocent citizens like Raja Petra.

As for CIMB, Miss Rajesh calls my friend and asks her who I am and why am I calling on her behalf. The reason for this is actually because my friend is young and naïve and does not know how to handle these things, so I was helping her out with her authority. Miss Rajesh then tells my friend that they are trying to negotiate with the scammer to allow them to refund the money to my friend. When I my friend told me this, I was shocked. CIMB is negotiating with the scammer instead of getting them arrested. She also tells my friend to call the scammer and negotiate with her.

Can you guys beat that. Is it the banks duty to negotiate with those who scam and commit fraud or are they suppose to get such people arrested.

Till todate, the police has done nothing, probably put the file away and neither has the bank done anything and have just asked my friend to negotiate with the scammer.

This friend of mine has another friends who mixes with some African/Nigerians and she was informed by him that the banks and the police are working hand in hand with the scammers as they are paid a commission, hence they money will never be refunded as neither will the police do anything nor will the bank.

Its almost a month now and there is no news from either. Why should the refund take so long, if the bank wants to negotiate with scammers, then they should request the scammer to provide evidence that the parcel containing all the stuff was delivered. If they cant provide such evidence there is no reason for the bank to hold the money.

It is obvious that the bank and police seem to be working hand in hand with scammers.

I'm writing this to create awareness among all Malaysians as to what is really happening and how bank staff are cheating customers and working hand in hand with scammers just for a mere commission.

For everyone’s information, all the other details of the scammers involved are as follows as they have many bank accounts and a whole group of them involved:-
1. Huzaidah binti Hussin
Public Bank a/c 4886411429
RHB a/c 1-12189-0016454-3
CIMB a/c 12510075365528

2. Julianah Binti Jaleel
Alliance Bank a/c 640960020020577

Contact Person involved in the scam claiming to be from Global Express Services:-
James Ruben 013-3260247
Michael Coleman 013-3260245
Benson White 013-2693782
Aini 013-8697255

I hope this letter will highlight to the authorities how important it is to ensure there are proper rules and regulations set out by the relevant bodies on how to deal with scammers immediately and not just keep pushing the buck. This is something important which affects all of us who are cheated of our hard earned money. These scammers have got no compassion for people who suffer to makes ends meet and they try to lure them with such deals. I know its stupid for anyone to believe such scams. But then again, there are many young people around who may not realize whats going on and take people at face value not realizing they are being cheated.

As a community, it is all our duty to ensure that all citizens are safeguarded from such unscrupulous people and action should be taken against such irresponsible bank staff who work with scammers and also the police who do absolutely nothing to get rid of these scum.

Anti Scam
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After reading the above article, I googled Global Express Service Ltd and found another two articles written by victims:-

* Global Express Services Ltd. Don't be fooled or else you'll regret later Kota Kinabalu Malaysia Internet - Scam Fraud Alert

* Report: Courier Services A Scam (Global Express Services Ltd) - Rip-Off Report

This phony Global Express Services Ltd seems to be operating from two addresses:-
* Avon Valley Business Park, Nationwide, United Kingdom

* Block E, Ground Floor, Damai Point Commercial Centre, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

What are CIMB Bank Berhad and Alliance Bank Malaysian Berhad doing about this? Are the banks really negotiating with the scammers?

Reading: CIMB in Cahoots With Scammers - Malaysia Today
Reading: Syndicate behind courier scams, warns Customs - Daily Express
Tags: CIMB Bank Berhad, Alliance Bank Malaysian Berhad, Scammer, Global Express Service Ltd, Huzaidah binti Hussin, Julianah Binti Jaleel, James Ruben, Michael Coleman, Benson White, Aini, Avon Valley Business Park, Damai Point Commercial Centre, Courier Scams