Couple stage accidents to extort money, MCA warns

The Star

A new scam involving staged car accidents is preying on unsuspecting motorists, with victims being pressured into paying immediate "compensation" to avoid police involvement.  At a press conference on Tuesday (May 20), MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong revealed that the scheme is believed to be orchestrated by a couple in their late 20s, who allegedly deliberately cause minor collisions, then intimidate drivers into paying up to RM2,000 under the pretext of settling the incident privately.  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

00:00A new scam involving stagecar accidents is targeting unsuspecting motorists, with victims

00:08being pressured into paying on-the-spot compensation to avoid police involvement.

00:14At a press conference on Tuesday, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk

00:19Sri Michael Chong said he had received at least 12 complaints from individuals claiming

00:24they were extorted after minor road mishaps.

00:28At the centre of the scam is a couple in their late 20s, believed to be staging deliberate

00:32collisions and then intimidating victims into paying up to RM2,000 in compensation to settle

00:38the matter privately.

00:41One victim, a 59-year-old woman known as Yim, recounted an incident in April when her sister-in-law,

00:48while making a turn at a T-junction, was hit by an SUV.

00:51The moment I saw that, I said, let's make a police report.

00:55You suggested, OK?

00:56Yeah, make a police report.

00:57She said, no, calm down, lady.

01:00Why don't you just, we just settle outside.

01:02I said, no, there's no way we can settle outside because your damage is huge.

01:07Just settle, just police report.

01:08She said, no, why don't you listen to me and then we negotiate.

01:11So I said, how much?

01:132,000.

01:14So we thought that at the end of the day, and of course, we thought that we are at fault

01:20because we come up from the side road.

01:23So I said, OK, since we have, again, they are rushing home to Penang.

01:29She attempted to protect herself by drafting a written agreement and asking one of the scammers

01:33to sign it with their details.

01:35However, she later discovered that the personal information provided was fake.

01:40Another victim, 46-year-old Chao, experienced a similar incident in Bandar Bukit Puchong

01:45while reversing her vehicle.

01:48The couple again demanded 2,000 ringgit, but she only paid 150 ringgit.

01:53Later, Chao learned that her friend had been targeted by the same individuals

01:57using the same vehicle and license plate.

02:01Suspecting foul play, she filed a police report.

02:04Chao urged the police to investigate the matter under Section 384 of the Penal Code for extortion.

02:11He estimated the scammers had collected at least 10,000 ringgit from victims, with total losses.

02:18The victim, not only have to pay, you know, why the victim's so angry, you know why?

02:25Because they have to claim their own car damage.

02:28And when the car damage, they have to claim insurance.

02:31After this, they lost the NCB.

02:34It is estimated that the victims had coughed up at least 50,000 ringgit cumulatively after repair works.

02:41Chao advised the public to remain vigilant, avoid making on-the-spot payments,

02:46and report suspicious incidents to the police.

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