Police tracking down eBelia Rahmah scammer

KUALA LUMPUR - The police have received a total of 14 reports on a scam syndicate involving the eBelia Rahmah cash withdrawal service from the e-wallet account with losses totalling RM2,800.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the victims found the service on TikTok and Facebook Messenger.

"The suspect offers services to transfer money from their e-wallet accounts to the victims' bank account.

"The suspect then asked the victims to scan the QR code given," he said when contacted today.

Ramli said the victims then found that the amount on their e-wallet account had been transferred out but no money was transferred to their bank account.

"The victims couldn't contact the suspect after being cheated of RM200. The case is currently being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code," he said.

The eBelia Rahmah programme is a government initiative tabled in the 2023 Budget to foster cashless payment culture among youths, in addition to reducing the financial burden of youths aged between 18 to 20 and full-time higher education institutes (IPT) students.

An amount of RM200 was credited to e-wallet accounts of approximately two million recipients starting June 26 through the programme, to be used for physical purchases at business premises using e-wallet service providers namely Boost, Setel and Touch n Go eWallet.

In the programmes' terms and conditions, it has been stated that the RM200 aid could not be cashed out or transferred to another account and action will be taken if recipients were found to be doing so.