27-10-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Alif, a 25-year-old Malaysian, thought he had landed a dream job at a hotel in Amsterdam with an attractive salary of over US$1,500 (RM7,160). Little did he know that his journey would take a dark turn. Upon reaching Lima, Peru on September 29, Alif discovered that Amsterdam was merely a stopover and that he had fallen victim to a Macau scam syndicate.
Stripped of his passport and mobile phone, Alif found himself at the mercy of the syndicate. Fortunately, his ordeal came to an end after just over a week when Peruvian authorities rescued him and 42 other Malaysian victims on October 7. Yesterday, they were flown back to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Recounting his harrowing experience, Alif revealed that he had come across a Facebook advertisement offering a lucrative hotel job in Amsterdam. Intrigued, he clicked on the link and was redirected to the Telegram messaging application, where he completed the job application process. All further communication and details were shared via Telegram until he collected his ticket and departed for Amsterdam.
Upon arriving in Amsterdam, Alif was immediately put on a connecting flight to Lima, Peru. “When someone picked me up from the airport and brought me to the house, they confiscated my passport and mobile phone,” he said. It was at that moment he realized he had fallen prey to a job scam, noticing the presence of other individuals residing in the same house.
Although provided with food, Alif noticed the high level of security surrounding the premises. “The house was surrounded by electric fences, making escape almost impossible,” he said.
Alif was one of three victims repatriated to Malaysia. The other two, both 23-year-old women, arrived at KLIA wearing face masks but appeared to be in good spirits.
Reports suggest that the Peruvian police conducted the raid on the house following the escape of an unknown number of victims who immediately sought help from the authorities. A total of 43 victims, comprising 26 women and 17 men aged between 18 and 30, were rescued from the house in La Molina.
