Scams are really the worst, especially if it involves a huge sum of money. Not to mention how difficult it is to deal with the aftermath of online scams as they can easily hide or change their identities. It’s crazy to think how often frauds happen, especially in this modern era.
Just earlier this week, a Twitter user named @/rayperture, also known as Ray, shared his recent experience with a rental scammer, in which he lost nearly RM6k. In the lengthy thread he posted, the user provided all the details of what happened, starting with an innocuous inquiry about rent dating back to 29th October.
The man explained that he found a listing about one of Camellia Serviced Suites’ units on a familiar site he frequently used for rentals. He reached out to a property agent who was tagged in the post to inquire further about the unit, and everything began as normally as it should. The real estate agent, Esther Siow, asked for Ray’s basic information, which he provided.
Afterwards, both of them proceeded with the dealings as things would normally go. However, a few red flags started to rise in the user’s mind. First, Ray and the agent had agreed on a viewing of the unit in advance, but Esther informed him at the last minute that a different team member would assist him with the apartment survey. Next, Ray thought the price seemed unusually low compared to other units in the same building, especially since the apartment was fully furnished and only cost RM1.5k per month.
The price itself was a major red flag, especially given the location in the heart of Kuala Lumpur! After Ray completed the viewing, he thought it was the perfect place for him: only 10 minutes from his workplace, fully furnished, in great condition, and incredibly affordable. He then told Esther that he was interested in the unit, knowing that the listing was on a first-come, first-served basis.
However, the biggest red flag was raised when the promoter insisted that he pay all the remaining deposits before his move-in date, which was set for 10th November. This was unusual for Ray, as he would typically pay the deposits during the handover. He tried to argue and reason with the agent, but it was to no avail.
Not willing to lose the unit, he reluctantly paid the remaining amount before the handover. Just as expected, Esther Siow was nowhere to be found after the payment was complete. Ray tried his best to contact her, even going so far as to reach out to Torive Properties, where Esther allegedly worked. Eventually, the company called him back and confirmed they had an employee with the same name; however, her phone number was different from the one the user had mentioned.
The man has since accepted his fate, and shared his experience in hopes that others won’t fall for the same trap he did. Read the full thread here, and let us know what you think about this fraud. We hope justice will be served to Ray.
Source: Twitter
May contributed to this article.
