Man’s expired documents used for identity theft attempt in Sandakan

SANDAKAN – A man here almost fell victim to identity theft when a man took his expired insurance policy and Covid-19 vaccination card to the registration department to make a new MyKad.  

Karamunting assemblyman George Hiew Vun Zin in a statement said that the incident happened to his close aide, Yap Hsiu Min, who received a call from the Sandakan National Registration Department (NRD) today, asking him to come to the office here to verify his identity.  

Upon arriving at the office, Yap saw a stranger with Yap’s documents, claiming that he was the real Yap Hsiu Min and that he had lost his MyKad and was now trying to apply for a new one.  

According to Yap, he had recently moved to a new house and had thrown away all documents that were no longer needed including his old insurance policy, and he had lost his Covid-19 vaccination card at his old home.  

He said he was shocked to see the unknown man holding the documents he had thrown away.  

Yap saw that the stranger could easily recite his MyKad number without looking, and the man claimed that he was born with the name Yap Hsiu Min despite not having the appearance of a Chinese man and being unable to speak Mandarin.  

The NRD personnel who were suspicious of the man had called Yap’s phone number registered in the system.  

After clarifying Yap’s identity at the NRD office, the man was sent to the Immigration Department for further investigation, and the man admitted that he attempted to make a new MyKad with Yap’s documents.  

Hiew said that such a case was shocking, and advised the people here to be mindful and careful when disposing of documents with personal information and details, such as MyKad numbers and home addresses.  

“I also thank the NRD personnel for being particular in this case, avoiding an identity theft case today,” he said. – The Vibes, July 14, 2023