MELAKA: Eight people from several states claim they were cheated of RM1.85mil in total by a couple on Facebook posing as house contractors.
Che Din, 50, said he lost RM245,000 after engaging the service of the couple’s company.
He had responded to the firm's advertisement on Facebook in January last year.
"I contacted the company said to be in Batu Berendam. Based on the advertisement, the company has clients in Johor, Selangor and even as far as Sabah.
"I called the marketing officer and agreed to use their service to draw up plans and build a house on my land,” he told a press conference here on Friday (June 23).
He said the advertisement appeared convincing and displayed sample houses completed by the company as well as the status of ongoing projects.
Both parties then agreed to visit the proposed site in Muar, he added.
However, the marketing officer and the couple – purportedly the chief executive officer and managing director – could not be contacted after he paid RM15,000 for the house plans and RM230,000 as progress payment for the first phase of construction.
"To date, the original copy of the house construction contract has not been given to me.
"The company in Batu Berendam and its Facebook site have closed," he said, adding that he believed the alleged culprits were still active.
Another victim, Ahmad Fuad, 38, said he was cheated of RM15,000 after engaging the company to draw up plans for his house, a job he was told would be done within three months.
"However, after I made the payment, the company's marketing officer began making various excuses and finally could not be contacted," said the Bukit Beruang restaurant operator.
He said he knew of six other people who had fallen victim.
"I managed to track down these six other victims... each suffered a loss of between RM190,000 and RM300,000 and we believe there are many more victims.
"Several police reports have been made.
"We hope an investigation will be carried out immediately to prevent more people from falling victim," he said. – Bernama
