WHEN it comes to the risks politicians face, online impersonation is definitely one of them. This is due to many reasons, including the fact that the "appearance" of an elected representative is likely to lend an air of credibility to any claims made online.
It was claimed recently that Kuala Terengganu MP Datuk Ahmad Amzad Mohamed @ Hashim is being impersonated repeatedly on social media.
Is this true?
VERDICT:
TRUE
In a statement issued on his official Facebook account on Tuesday (Oct 8), Ahmad Amzad said that his image and name have been misused to commit fraud and added that this even includes love scams.
"Despite lodging reports with the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission MCMC nearly four years ago, this issue has not yet been fully resolved.
Fake accounts continue to emerge as soon as previous accounts are deleted, as if sprouting like mushrooms after the rain," he said.
Ahmad Amzad added that he is concerned as the misuse of his photo and other aspects of his identity deceives victims and tarnishes his reputation.
"I would like to emphasize that I am not responsible for any forms of fraud using my picture or name. I urge everyone to be cautious and not be deceived by these fake accounts," he said.
"If you encounter or fall victim to such scams, please lodge reports with the police and MCMC immediately. I will continue to work on addressing this issue and hope for the cooperation of all parties in fighting this fraud," added Ahmad Amzad.
