TWO men lost RM25,000 in total after allegedly falling victim to a used-car scam in which individuals posing as sales intermediaries directed payments into third-party bank accounts.
Miri district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Farhan Lee Abdullah said police received reports from the two victims, aged 41 and 45, on Oct 8.
In the first case, a 41-year-old man responded to a social media advertisement for a black 2013 Perodua Myvi 1.3 automatic priced at RM4,500.
After contacting the alleged intermediary through a messaging application, he inspected the car in Miri and was satisfied with its condition.
He was then instructed to make three transactions totalling RM6,000 into two bank accounts belonging to third parties.
“The victim discovered that the actual vehicle owner had not received the money and denied authorising anyone to act as an intermediary in the sale,” Mohamad Farhan said in a statement.
In the second case, a 45-year-old man was attracted by an online advertisement for a Toyota Estima Aeras priced at RM22,000.
He travelled to Batu Niah on Oct 7 to inspect and test-drive the vehicle after communicating with the alleged intermediary through a messaging application.
After deciding to proceed with the purchase, he made three transfers totalling RM19,000 to a third-party bank account as instructed.
He later discovered that the vehicle’s actual owner had received no payment and realised he had been cheated.
Both cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. - October 11, 2026
