By Aida Aziz
IPOH: The police successfully solved a fraud case related to using the name of e-Kasih assistance with the arrest of a 49-year-old man.
Perak Police Chief, Datuk Azizi Mat Aris stated that between January and June, police received 38 reports regarding e-Kasih assistance fraud.
He noted that the total losses amounted to RM16,250.
“The suspect targeted elderly individuals as victims.
“Based on information and intelligence gathered, on July 2, police from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of Perak Contingent Police Headquarters e-arrested the suspect at the compound of the Kota Setar District Police Headquarters in Kedah.
“Also seized were a mobile phone and clothing used by the suspect during the fraud.
“Checks revealed that the suspect also had 12 previous criminal records, all under Section 420 of the Penal Code,” he said.
Azizi added that the suspect approached elderly individuals aged between 50 and 80 years to deceive them.
“The suspect found victims mostly in areas near hospitals, banks, food courts, supermarkets, public markets, and bus stations.
“He posed as an e-Kasih Assistance Officer and asked the victims to hand over cash ranging from RM300 to RM1,000 for the e-Kasih application process and bank account opening.
“After obtaining the victims’ money, the suspect would pretend to leave the bank to make photocopies of the victims’ identification cards.
“The victims were asked to wait in the bank, and only realised they were deceived when the suspect did not return,” he continued.
Besides cash, the suspect also took the victims’ identification cards.
He stated that 38 investigation papers involving losses of RM16,250 have been opened to date, resulting in 36 charges against the suspect under Section 420 and Section 417 of the Penal Code.
“The suspect will begin to be charged on July 24 at the Ipoh Magistrate’s Court (13 charges), July 25 at the Kuala Kangsar Magistrate’s Court (2 charges).
“July 26 at the Taiping Magistrate’s Court (18 charges), August 5 at the Manjung Magistrate’s Court (1 charge), and August 6 at the Hilir Perak Magistrate’s Court (2 charges),” he said.
