25-1-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A 30-year-old Chinese man named Zhu, residing in Malaysia, fell victim to a fraudulent scheme after mistakenly believing he could earn US$4,000 in cryptocurrency by working in Hong Kong for just four days. As a result, he found himself trapped and imprisoned by the syndicate, enduring a harrowing ordeal that has left him stranded in “KK Park” on the Myanmar border.
The victim’s 27-year-old brother, Choo Wei Mun, came forward on the 18th to share the details of the incident. He revealed that he made the distressing discovery while going through his brother’s tablet computer. It was only when he examined the chat history on the WhatsApp application that he realized the gravity of the situation.
“After checking the tablet, I uncovered the shocking truth that my brother had been deceived and was being held captive by the scam syndicate. He even contemplated borrowing RM146,000 from a friend to pay the ransom,” Choo Wei Mun disclosed. He further explained that his brother had left home on December 13th of the previous year, stating he would be in Johor Bahru for a week. However, after the week passed, Zhu failed to return home, and all attempts to contact him proved futile. It was only when Choo Wei Mun reached out to his brother’s girlfriend that he learned Zhu had actually traveled to Bangkok, Thailand for work. From that point on, communication with his brother ceased entirely. Choo Wei Mun continued, “Later, when I searched through my brother’s personal belongings, I stumbled upon his tablet, which contained the chat history between him and his friends.”
“My brother intended to borrow RM146,000 (equivalent to US$31,000) from a friend to secure his release from the scam syndicate and return to Malaysia,” Choo Wei Mun lamented.
In a desperate attempt to gather more information, Choo Wei Mun managed to establish contact with his brother through WhatsApp. During their conversation, Zhu revealed that the scam syndicate had transported him from Bangkok to Myawaddy, a town situated on the Myanmar border. The distressing situation has left the family deeply concerned for Zhu’s safety and well-being as they grapple with the complexity of his predicament.
