Even though Malaysia Custom scam is not related to currency collection but recently, the scammer had been telling their victim that they had been detained by Malaysia Customs at KLIA under Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA)as a reason.
Under that act, travelers entering or leaving Malaysia with cash and/or negotiable bearer instruments (e.g. traveller's cheques, bearer cheques) exceeding an amount equivalent to USD10,000 must make a declaration in form Customs No. 22. I talk about it before in my post; how much money can I bring into Malaysia.
Most of the time, people bank-in money to the scammer because of fake love or known as romance scams. They don't believe that people are trying to scam their money.
These happened recently with my friends who has been falling to this scam and deposited RM5,000 through bank-in. I had been advising her that from her story, it sound like a scam but she won't listen. For your information, she also has been cheated around RM80,000 by "Romance Scams" before. The modus operandi are almost the same but she still don't learn from her first mistake.
Remember, this scams are not done by any Malaysia Customs department officer. The suspects are most probably Nigerian scammer who are using Malaysian disguised as a customs officer.
How Malaysia Custom scam work:
1. The fraudster will contact you first via Facebook, E-mail or Phone (called, sms, mms or any free message apps). They find your contact information randomly or by searching about it via Google search engine.
Here are some message by the scammer to me via Facebook:
i. Stella Desmond Stella
HELLO
My name is Miss Stella Desmond never married before,i saw your account profile in site (Facebook.com) today and
became intrested in you,i will also like to know you the more,and i want you to send an email direct to my email address so i can give you my picture for you to know whom i am.
Here is my email address((Stelladesmond510@yahoo.com)
I believe we can move from here!i am waiting for your mail to my email address
above
(Remeber the distance or colour does not matter but love matters alot in life)
(Stelladesmond510@yahoo.com)
ii. Princess James
Interested in you
My name is princess am a beautiful young girl with full of love
Well, I saw your profile today
which gives me joy to contact you
please i will like you contact me through my e-mail
princessand300@yahoo.com
At the same time i will show you my picture and send me your picture
please i will like you contact me through my e-mail not four my
facebook ok
Miss princess
send me an e-mail
princessand300@yahoo.com
2. Both of you will exchange messages and he/she will tell you how one day he/she will like to meet you in Malaysia. He/she will try to make you think both of you are falling in love. A charming message telling you almost everyday that you're beautiful/handsome or something like that will be send to you by the fraudster to show that he/she are serious about relationship with you.
3. They will be coming to meet you in Malaysia or want to send a parcel/gift to you.
4. They arrived at KLIA and would call you and claim that they or their packages had been detained by the department at the airport. Most of the time it is Customs department or immigration.
Here are some example of scenario's:
i. You will receive a call from someone claiming to be from KLIA Customs, told you that they were expecting a parcel under your name. The "officer" will inform you that the duty and other charges on the parcel had not been paid. You will be instructed to deposit payment into a local bank account before the package could be release.
ii. The fraudster arrived at KLIA airport but had been detained by Kuala Lumpur's International Airport Customs because of money laundering or bring money over USD$10,000. He will ask you to help him pay certain amount of cash to the customs/immigration officers account since they only want Malaysia Ringgit as payment. In many cases, the "officer's" are asking RM5,000 as a bribe for your "lover" release. Local bank account will be given to you via sms and you must bank-in as soon as possible. After you already bank-in the said amount, another officer (superior officer) might be calling you and asking for bribe too and the amount are bigger then the first one (might be RM15,000).
iii. The fraudster will tell you that one of his mate or family member had been detained at airport and he need money to release them (he might be telling you before, he/she don't bring enough cash). The fraudster will off his/her phone and you cannot ask anymore details. A government officer might contact you later to ask payment for their release.
iv. The officer who contact you might say that he had opened the parcel and discovered that it contains money and jewellery. However, after paying the charges, the victims would be told that there were still more charges to be paid before the parcel could be released.
v. You will received a call from someone who claimed to be a Customs officer at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and informed you that "your lover" had been detained by the authorities for failure to declare the items that he brought in. The officer might be saying that the frudster had been detained because he/she bring illegal item (drugs, chemical etc)
vi. A person from courier company called you claiming that your parcel weight was over limit. The fraudster will contact you later for many other reasons including fine for the excess weight, stamp duties, penalties that were purportedly demanded by Bank Negara, insurance and other services.
Bogus Name/ID used in Romance scam:
i. Chris Kastor.
Phone number: +447031895781, +447031932355, +60173932742.
ii. Ani Abdullah
Address: 4, Jalan Sultan Sulaiman, 50000 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone number: +60166425399.
iii. Habibunisah Binti Mohd Azir.
Phone number: +601126371042
iv. Phillip Marvin
Phone number: +60169978274, +447031743763.
v. Chris Paul David
Phone number: +60162044619, +60146403006.
vi. Balule Paphidzani Manatsha.
Phone number: +60102349844, +447031838926, +447511070942.
vii. Josh Arnold.
Phone number: +4470318234366, +447508316649
viii. Alex Fletcher.
Phone number: +447031825775.
ix. Rafik Hasem.
Address: NO. 27, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur.
Phone number: +60103368650.
X. Frank Owen
Phone number: +60176656381
Xi. Nor Eda Ibrahim.
Phone number: +0060102095488
Xii. Nollan Ramssy.
Phone number: +60146235388,+447624083626.
Xiii. Carlos Luciano.
Phone number: +60163017098, +447024010313, +447754883641.
Xiv. Joey smith.
Phone number: +447031895610
Bogus Name/ID used in Romance scam:
i. Chris Kastor.
Phone number: +447031895781, +447031932355, +60173932742.
ii. Ani Abdullah
Address: 4, Jalan Sultan Sulaiman, 50000 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone number: +60166425399.
iii. Habibunisah Binti Mohd Azir.
Phone number: +601126371042
iv. Phillip Marvin
Phone number: +60169978274, +447031743763.
v. Chris Paul David
Phone number: +60162044619, +60146403006.
vi. Balule Paphidzani Manatsha.
Phone number: +60102349844, +447031838926, +447511070942.
vii. Josh Arnold.
Phone number: +4470318234366, +447508316649
viii. Alex Fletcher.
Phone number: +447031825775.
ix. Rafik Hasem.
Address: NO. 27, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur.
Phone number: +60103368650.
X. Frank Owen
Phone number: +60176656381
Xi. Nor Eda Ibrahim.
Phone number: +0060102095488
Xii. Nollan Ramssy.
Phone number: +60146235388,+447624083626.
Xiii. Carlos Luciano.
Phone number: +60163017098, +447024010313, +447754883641.
Xiv. Joey smith.
Phone number: +447031895610
Some bank details that related to Malaysia Custom scam:
i. Maybank Acc No: 162197345278 Norkhaizah Binti Mohd Dawan.
ii. CIMB Acc No: 11050101905524 Suzielah Binti Abdul Manan.
iii. Maybank Acc No: 164315310163 Adegoke Solomon Adel.
iv. Maybank Acc No: 1438008994752 Ahmad Ghazali Bin Idris.v. Maybank akaun no: 162067527173 Mohd afindi bin md ajizan.
vi. CIMB account number: 12220085647523 Jaganathan a/l Veerappan.
vii. CIMB Acc No: 12170005366201 Nurul Fatin Nadiah Binti Samsudin.
What you can do to avoid being scammed:
i If anyone claiming to be from KLIA Custom officer contact you, you can call 03-87768055 (Custom KLIA phone number) to confirm. They are willing to help you.
ii. Ask your family and friends for opinion before you believe what your online friend telling you, especially if it involved money.
Information about Malaysia Customs that you should know:
-Most of the time, Malaysia customs department don't contact people using handphone numbers or free email. If they do contact you, ask for their full name and search via Google.com. Most custom department officers name are available online at their website.
-Malaysia customs department will never require you to make payments (of tax) through third parties. Payments can ONLY be made by the importer at their payment counters located in every Customs stations, collected by a proper officer of Customs.
-No 76 Custom dpt Klia, Kuala lumpur is not the correct address for KLIA custom office
-The correct email for custom officer should be OFFICERNAME@customs.gov.my.
KL Airport Malaysian Royal Customs contact details:
1) Malaysian Royal Customs
Level 3, Main Terminal Building,
KLIA
Tel : +603-8776 6575
Fax: +603-8776 6617
2) Malaysian Royal Customs at Cargo KLIA
Tel : +603-8775 2379
Fax: +603-8787 4061
3) Malaysian Royal Customs at LCCT KLIA
Tel : +603-8775 2593
Fax: +603-8775 2605
4) Malaysian Royal Customs at Pos Malaysia KLIA
Tel : +603-8787 1054
Fax: +603-8787 2718
Conclusion
Don't believe 100% a foreigner can fall in love with you just by looking at your pictures in Facebook. From the past cases so far, the fraudster might be saying they're from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, UK or USA.
Please use your brain, do anyone in their right mind want to bring USD$50,000 cash in a holiday? Do you know how much space they need to bring that large amount of money?
Please use your brain, do anyone in their right mind want to bring USD$50,000 cash in a holiday? Do you know how much space they need to bring that large amount of money?
If you had been scammed by these scammer, please make a police report or at least share their bank account details online. You might don't get your money back but at least you can help other people avoiding from fallen to their trap.
