Kuching: Business owners are being cautioned to exercise extreme care when responding to tenders, purchase orders, or contracts following a near miss involving a scam that impersonated officials from JKR Sarawak.
Special Assistant to Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, Michael Kong Feng Nian, said a local businesswoman recently came forward after narrowly avoiding being defrauded by an individual posing as “Dorisi” from JKR Sarawak.
“This individual claimed that JKR required certain items for an upcoming staff function. To make the scam appear legitimate, Dorisi produced fake tender notices and documents supposedly signed by the Director of JKR Sarawak.
“After convincing the businesswoman of the authenticity of these documents, Dorisi requested the businesswoman to submit her company details, including sensitive information such as bank account numbers,” he said in a statement.
Michael Kong further stated that shortly thereafter, the scammer issued a Letter of Acceptance of Offer and Purchase Orders to the businesswoman, thereby creating the impression of a genuine contract.
“The scam took a darker turn when Dorisi instructed the businesswoman to procure one of the listed items from a so-called “previous vendor” of theirs.
“Sensing something was wrong, the businesswoman sought assistance and approached us. Upon investigation, we confirmed that there was no such JKR Sarawak tender. We immediately assisted her in lodging a police report to prevent further harm,” he said.
He emphasised that this case should serve as a serious reminder and warning to all members of the public, particularly business owners, not to rely solely on telephone calls, emails, or online documents when conducting business transactions.
“Always verify the legitimacy of tenders, purchase orders, or contracts by personally visiting the relevant offices directly.
“Also, one must be cautious when asked to provide sensitive personal or company information, as such data can be misused for future scams or identity theft,” he said.
Michael Kong added that while this businesswoman was fortunate to have avoided financial losses, her personal and business information is now in the hands of scammers, which could lead to further risks in the future.
“This is why we must all remain vigilant, sceptical, and proactive in verifying the authenticity of any business dealings,” he concluded.
