ON messaging applications like WhatsApp, people are more likely to respond favourably to a message if it comes from a trusted source.
As such, scammers are likely to impersonate someone in a position of authority as it is more likely people will listen to such messages.
It was claimed online recently that an individual has been posing as the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) chief executive officer. Is this true?
Verdict:
TRUE
The SFC confirmed this in a post on its Facebook account, warning that an individual using the number 011-2890 5823 has been posing as its CEO, Zolkipli Mohamad Aton.
"We urge the public to disregard any messages received from this individual's number and to avoid engaging in any communication. Please be advised that the SFC takes this matter seriously and is taking appropriate steps to address it," it said.
"If you have received any suspicious messages claiming to be from Zolkipli Mohamad or any other representative of SFC, please do not hesitate to contact us to report the incident," it added.
The SFC shared screenshots of messages from this number, including one asking the recipient to buy 10 Google Play gift cards with a value RM200 each and forward each card's number to the person posing as Zolkipli Mohamad.
An independent check using the caller-identification application TrueCaller has found that the number in question has now been listed as a "scammer".
