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Showing posts with label CCID. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CCID. Show all posts

Monday, December 11, 2023

Tenancy tales of horror, Cops may go after landlords who rent units to criminals; owners had the right to do monthly inspection, Law needed to lay out rights, responsibilities

Tenancy tales of horror - Sad state of affairs: A house owner checking the condition of his house after a tenant moved out in Puchong. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star


PETALING JAYA: A businesswoman got the shock of her life when she received a call from the police asking her to go to her posh KLCC-facing condominium.

“When I arrived, I was stunned to see the unit in a wreck and that an illegal gambling centre had been operating from there.

“It was a nightmare. I had to go to the police station several times for my statement to be recorded.

“Not only that, I had to fork out a lot of money to clean up and repair my unit,” said the woman, who wanted to be known only as Shima.

She had not suspected anything amiss because her tenant – who claimed to be an engineer – was always prompt with his rent.

“This incident has given me a lot of anguish and stress. My unit has been empty for two years now. I just don’t dare rent it out again,” said the mother of two.

Shima admitted that she had not checked on her unit after renting it out as she respected her tenant’s privacy

A senior journalist was happy when he rented out his house to a young couple with two kids in May last year.

Everything had looked fine in the beginning, but things started to go wrong a few months into the tenancy.

The rent payment was erratic, with no money coming for several months, and when he decided to end the tenancy agreement, he was shocked to find that they had defaulted on the utility bills.

“They seemed like a decent couple with two young children when they first moved in, in May 2022. But after three months, the problems began.

“Every time, I called them for the payment, they had excuses. Business was slow, someone had died, someone was sick.

“In February this year, there was one payment and none after that. I waited until August before finally telling them to leave. They left in early November,” said the 65-year-old Penangite, who is based in the Klang Valley.

When he repossessed the house, it was in a total mess.

“The toilets were broken and dirty, with caked soap on everything. There were nails everywhere. The wiring was badly damaged.

“There were rats living in the house compound. It cost me close to RM5,000 to repaint and repair to make it look like a decent home again,” he fumed.

What was worse, he added, was the unpaid electricity bill since November 2022.

“Why was there no action taken by the utility company? I had to pay up as I could not trace the couple and they would not answer my calls.

“The water bill was also unpaid for at least six to seven months. After they vacated the house on Nov 21, Air Selangor sent a notice of disconnection if I did not pay up.

“So, I lost easily seven to eight months of rent money, and had to fork out another RM6,000 for bills and repairs. Now, I am very cautious about who I rent my house to or even if I should even rent it out at all,” he said.

Another apartment owner, who wanted to be known only as Zulkifli, no longer wishes to rent out his unit in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, after a bad experience a few years ago.

“I rented out my unit to a childless couple in 2015. They seemed nice and both were professionals.

“Their rent payment was good initially, but arrears started to pile up in the second year of their tenancy.

“After failing to pay the rental for two successive months, they suddenly moved out at the end of 2016,” he said.

Zulkifli, 40, said although he could offset the outstanding rental from their deposit, his unit was in a shambles.

“Most of the furniture was broken and the place was so dirty,” he said. 

Cops may go after landlords who rent units to criminals


KUALA LUMPUR: Police want landlords who rent out their houses or apartments to criminals, including scam syndicates, to be held accountable.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said they are pushing for the possibility of putting the liability on the owners.

“We have encountered many cases where such houses and apartments are being used as scam call centres.

“Recently, we detained more than 20 scammers, who rented several houses to operate as call centres.

“This has to stop,” he said in an interview yesterday.

Comm Ramli said while some syndicates are willing to pay a high rate of rent, owners and property agents must look past making a profit.

“Some syndicates are willing to pay up to six months in advance in rent but rationally, the owner or agent must think there is something wrong somewhere.

“In some instances, the syndicates would place 65 people in several housing units, in other instances, 20 people,” he said.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said most of the scam call centres raided in the city were located in luxury condominiums and apartments.

“It is bewildering that such criminals were allowed to operate in such prestigious locations, when in fact, it would be hard for regular people to even enter the premises.

“I have also instructed KL CCID to step up operations against the call centres in the city,” he said.

So far, KL CCID had conducted 1,311 raids on online crime syndicates in the city, he added.

“We have detained 855 people for their involvement in scam call centres between January and September this year.

“In the past two months, some 20 raids were conducted and 342 people were arrested,” he said.

Universiti Sains Malaysia criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy said landlords must be proactive and take full responsible for the action of their tenants.

“As the owner, your responsibility is not solely about rental. You are liable for the behaviour and action of your tenant,” he said, adding that owners had the right to do monthly inspection but without violating too much of their tenants’ privacy.


Law needed to lay out rights, responsibilities

 
 

PETALING JAYA: It is time to push for the tabling of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) to better clarify the responsibilities of landlords and tenants, say property agents.

Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents president Tan Kian Aun said the country needs more specific legislation on tenancy agreements, adding that the current situation often left landlords and tenants without a clear legal framework on their rights and responsibilities.

“The proposed RTA aims to regulate and standardise the relationship between landlords and tenants,” he said in an interview.

The Act, said Tan, would serve as a comprehensive guide, eliminating the need for individual tenancy agreements that often resulted in varied terms and conditions.

“Unlike the existing practice, the Act would set standardised rules, specifying legal and illegal activities for tenants and landlords.“This would address illegal activities, immoral behaviour and law violations within the rented premises,” he said.

On March 29, 2023, Deputy Local Government Development Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir told Parliament that the RTA, which is aimed at addressing rental property issues, would be tabled in Parliament next year.

The ministry, he said, is currently conducting a study on drafting the Act.

Tan said currently, there is also no specific legal provision for authorities like the police to intervene in cases of tenancy disputes, which would typically fall under civil jurisdiction, requiring the affected parties to pursue legal action for breach of contract.

The Act, he said, should also empower the relevant authorities to take appropriate action in cases of criminal activities.

Before the RTA comes into effect, Tan suggested landlords engage with tenants to first establish evidence that they are unaware of any illegal activity or “alternate uses” of their property.

“When tenants inquire about permission for activities such as gambling, landlords must refuse and retain evidence of their conversation. We often advise landlords to do this to protect their rights,” he said.

Property agents also play a crucial part by conducting thorough background checks on tenants, such as criminal records and solvency to ensure that they are not bankrupt, he added.

“We also verify employment status, request documentation such as visas and employment letters for foreigners, and scrutinise income details,” he said.

Lawyer Eric Choo advised landlords to protect themselves by ensuring that their tenancy agreements explicitly state the purpose of property use as well as the prohibition of illegal activities.

“These crucial clauses, typically included in tenancy agreements prepared by qualified lawyers, help safeguard landlords from being implicated in any criminal activities carried out on their premises,” he said.

Landlords, stressed legal counsel Marcus Tan, must lodge a police report upon discovering that tenants had been using their property for criminal activities.

“Failure to do so may result in the landlord being perceived as part of or even abetting the criminal activities.

“Without a formal tenancy or lease agreement, landlords may struggle to explain the situation to the police, potentially leading to suspicion and legal complications.

In Penang, state local government committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye said action could be taken against bad tenants under Section 70 (12) of the Road, Building and Drainage Act 1974.

“They need to be given 30 days to move out. If they fail to comply, they can be hauled up to court.”



Related posts:

 

Landlords and tenants must take care of their rental properties

 

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

EXCLUSIVE On top of the scams list: Beating the cheats

 


Ecommerce fraud cases outnumber those of investments and loans

KUALA LUMPUR: When Covid-19 struck in early 2020 and millions of people were stuck at home with nowhere to go, online shopping started picking up and not long after, so did ecommerce scams.

According to the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), over RM305.94mil was lost to ecommerce scams between 2021 and August 2023.

Its director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf (pic) told The Star that over the last three years, his department had observed that ecommerce scams were becoming more prevalent nationwide.

Ecommerce scams refer to fraudulent online shopping offers and tend to feature “sellers” offering bogus items either on online purchasing platforms or via social media platforms.

In most cases, the seller disappears without a trace once they receive payment from their victims.

“In terms of cases being reported, ecommerce has topped the charts since 2021 with 9,499 cases recorded that year, 9,253 cases in 2022 and 7,911 cases between January and August this year,” said Comm Ramli.

“The top three types of scams reported are ecommerce scams, bogus loans and investment scams.

“Based on our statistics, cases of ecommerce scams reported greatly outnumber the other two types.

“In the past three years, 26,663 ecommerce scam cases were reported between January 2021 and August 2023 compared with 10,759 loan scams and 9,640 investment scams reported over the same period.”

ALSO READ: Only use trusted websites, says victim

He added that while losses from ecommerce scams had been on the rise since 2021, the biggest increase was seen this year with RM144.82mil in losses recorded between January and August.

“The year has not even ended yet and already we have recorded a RM56.73mil increase in losses compared with the RM88.09mil recorded in 2022. In 2021, we recorded RM73.02mil in losses,” he said.

He added that between January and August this year, police arrested 3,659 suspects in connection with ecommerce scams.

Comm Ramli said cheating cases were becoming more challenging to curb, as technology had allowed scammers to go online.

“There is no more face-to-face between the victim and the perpetrator when it comes to online scams, which makes it tough for suspects to be identified and brought to justice.

ALSO READ: Move to beef up scam response centre

“There is room for us to improve ourselves. As online scams increase, we need to better equip ourselves with new laws that are more relevant to combat such scams,” he said, adding that he welcomed a multi-agency approach to tackle these new forms of crime.

When asked if the police were beefing up their strategies and equipment to combat scam syndicates, Comm Ramli said they were working with other agencies such as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission as well as Bank Negara Malaysia.

“As criminals evolve, we, too, have to evolve in order to stay one step ahead of them. I will not elaborate on our strategies as it may open the door to the scam syndicates to alter their modus operandi, but rest assured that we are doing our part to fight them head to head.

“We are also part of the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) and I must say that in terms of efficiency, it is quite effective,” he said.

He said anyone who feared that they have been scammed can contact the NSRC at 997 and action would be taken immediately.

Comm Ramli said there were some procedural matters being tweaked in order to make their efforts more proactive.

He added that their main aim was to retrieve the money for the victims.

  Source link

Beating the cheats - The Star Malaysia (2023-10-04)


There has been a 58% drop in cases of unauthorised banking transactions reported to the National Scam Response Centre in the past five months because of measures to counter scammers.

— THOMAS YONG/The star
An educational meeting: Kamarul Zaman (left) speaking to some teachers during the threat of scammers in current times town hall session at bank simpanan nasional, Johor baru. teachers are among the most common victims of online scams, which have resulted in over rm10.02mil in losses this year alone.

> Kill switch

Deactivates bank accounts and app access in the event of scams.

> Single device

Applies authentication apps to a restricted single device.

> Emergency centre

Combats scams through National Scam Response Center hotline at 997.

Special measures taken by financial institutions in recent months to counter unauthorised banking transactions commonly pulled off by scammers have borne fruit with commendable results.

Bank Negara governor Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the introduction of measures such as restricting authentication apps to a single device and introducing a “kill switch” for bank clients to freeze their accounts when they became accessible to hackers or scammers has resulted in a steep decline of 58% in unauthorised banking transactions reported to the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) in the past five months.

He said the NSRC, which was launched a year ago, has received over 19,000 reports on scam cases, which led to the identification of 43,000 mule bank account holders and the freezing of more than Rm60mil.

“These early signs are very encouraging, and I trust we will see a further decline in cases as we go forward.

“As for the NSRC, I am pleased that efforts to take it to the next level are underway. Falling victim to financial fraud is undoubtedly difficult for those affected, with some victims losing their entire life savings and struggling to regain their economic footing,” said Abdul Rasheed during the launch of the 13th International Conference on Financial Crime and Terrorism Financing (IFCTF) 2023 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here.

He said dealing with financial crimes demands integrity, which is the key to preserving public confidence and trust in the financial system.

Abdul Rasheed said whether the role is in prevention, supervision or enforcement, reporting institutions, regulators, supervisors, and law enforcement agencies alike must discharge their mandate with full integrity.

“As our economy continues to grow, we must remain vigilant against evolving threats. The five high-risk crimes – corruption, fraud, drug trafficking, smuggling and organised crimes – that were identified in the National Risk Assessment (NRA) 2020 will continue to be our focus.

“However, given the evolving landscape, we have commenced a renewed risk assessment and will share our findings in the first half of 2024,” he said.

Also present at the event was Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB) chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim.

In a briefing with the media at the event, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) commissioner (online harms and network security committee) Derek John Fernandez said the escalation of online crimes is a worldwide trend and a result of digitalisation.

He said online criminals are emboldened as they can remain anonymous and safe from even the long arm of the law with the use of sophisticated technology, some of military grade, to penetrate their targets and escape untraced.

He said between 2018 and August 2023, the MCMC blocked 2.5 billion phone calls on suspicion of being involved in crimes.

According to him, the commission disabled 4,000 phishing sites between 2020 and August 2023.

Derek said from 2021 to August 2022, 581 million SMSES were blocked, and 237,999 mobile and fixed phone lines linked to the suspicious messages had their services terminated.

He said for the same period, 70 million peer-to-peer SMSES with suspicious hyperlinks were also prevented from reaching its intended recipients.

Derek said, on the request of the police, the commission also shut down 29 websites suspected to be involved in cheating activities.

He said 7,754 social media accounts were also flagged, with action taken for impersonation.

“This is a small fraction of the problem. In reality, it is seven times bigger because most people do not report their cases. This is the challenge faced by the MCMC,” he said.

At the same event, the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions of Malaysia (AIBIM) launched their anti-scam awareness campaign, #Jangankenascam.

ABM chairman Datuk Khairusalleh Ramli said according to an industry survey on scam awareness for bank clients, nine out of 10 of them read scam alerts and were updated on the latest scam tactics, but only 60% of them felt they were prepared to counter the scams.

He said the survey also revealed that close to 80% of bank clients believe victims of scams exposed their banking credentials inadvertently to the fraudsters.

“To fight scammers, we need to learn their language. We hope that the experiential aspect of the #Jangankenascam campaign, together with the introduction of the anti-scam resource centre at www.jangankenascam.com, can provide the public with an avenue that enables them to understand the manipulation techniques used by scammers in financial scams.

“They must be alert at all times and not share their banking information with anyone,” he said.

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat wants a scam response centre set up in the state to combat scams more effectively.

“Currently, the national scam response centre is set up in the capital city and I hope that a similar centre can be set up in Johor at the state police headquarters,” he said.

“This way, those in Johor who need help can seek help directly and we will have access to the information too.

“If the operating hours are an issue, they can use the IPK (Johor police headquarters) as we are on standby 24 hours a day,” he said during the Threat of Scammers in Current Times town hall session with teachers at Bank Simpanan Nasional here yesterday.

The National Scam Response Centre collaborates with the police, Bank Negara Malaysia, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the National Anti-financial Crime Centre and financial institutions.

The public can call the centre’s hotline at 997 if they fear falling victim to a scam or head to the nearest police station.

He also said that teachers are among the most common victims of online scams, which have resulted in over Rm4.24mil in losses so far this year.

He said 117 teachers reported getting scammed from January to September this year.

“Scammers usually do not target a certain group of people as they randomly pick their potential victims.

“However, Johor has a large number of teachers – more than 50,000 – so the probability of scammers preying on teachers is higher,” he said.

Teachers were part of the total of 388 scammed civil servants, involving a value of Rm10.02mil, he said.

“In terms of value, the amount recorded in the first nine months of the year was higher than the value of Rm3.41mil recorded in the same period last year.

“According to police investigations, most fraud occurred via mobile phone calls or text messages,” said Kamarul Zaman.

“This is why we are prioritising educators. We hope to engage with the public and departments, such as the Education Department, about prevention and ways of identifying scam calls,” he said, adding that about 250 teachers statewide attended the town hall session.

He also urged the public to be in tune with the news and look for the latest scam trends to avoid falling into the trap.   

 

 

Bank Negara governor Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the introduction of measures such as restricting authentication apps to a single device and introducing a “kill switch” for bank clients to freeze their accounts when they became accessible to hackers or scammers has resulted in a steep decline of 58% in unauthorised banking transactions reported to the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) in the past five months.
www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/10/04/fewer-reporting-fraud-cases
www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/10/04/fewer-reporting-fraud-cases

 

 



Related stories:

 

Cut the link to spam calls

 

Only use trusted websites, says victim

'CLICK TO ENLARGE''CLICK TO ENLARGE'

Move to beef up scam response centre

Over 3,000 scam cases recorded in Johor so far, say cops

155 people nabbed in raids on scam call centres

Seized: Comm Allaudeen speaking during the press conference at the KL police headquarters. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star

KL cops nab 155, bust eight scam call centres since Sept 4