5-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Penampang-based caterer Jolene Robin was elated when she received an order for 150 lunch sets with beverages over three consecutive days. The order seemed promising, worth a substantial amount, and came as a referral from a friend who had been approached by an individual claiming to be an army officer a week earlier.
Excited about the opportunity, Jolene reached out to the person who explained that the lunch sets were needed for new recruits in the territorial armies. While Jolene tried to request a deposit, she knew from past experience with government orders that payment would only be processed after the delivery. Thus, when the person mentioned being unable to provide a deposit but promised cash payment upon receipt of the food, Jolene didn’t find it suspicious.
On the scheduled delivery date of May 30, Jolene received a call from another man claiming to be from the same department. He asked if she could also provide packed ready-to-eat meals and 20 cartons of packet drinks. Throughout the process, Jolene communicated with three individuals, each with a different phone number.
However, doubts began to arise when Jolene realized that she didn’t have the funds to proceed with the additional order for packed meals. When her customers failed to collect the meal sets as planned and she discovered all their messages had been deleted and she had been blocked, Jolene grew suspicious. She took to social media and decided to sell the lunch packs for only RM5 each at her stall located at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association compound during the Kaamatan Festival.
Fortunately, all 150 lunch sets were sold, but Jolene wanted to share her experience as a cautionary tale to prevent others from falling victim to the scam.
Following the incident’s viral spread on social media, an army personnel based in Kuala Lumpur came forward and informed Jolene that his name had been falsely used by the scammers. He has lodged a police report to clear his name.
The district Commercial Crimes Investigation Department has received multiple reports related to this matter and is currently investigating the case.
