The Royal Malaysia Police recently revealed that they have received 14 scam reports linked to the eBeliaRahmah eWallet credit, duping unsuspecting victims of RM2,800 in total. The scammers specifically targeted young Malaysians and full-time students enrolled at registered higher education institutions, who were eligible for the RM200 eWallet credit redeemable via Boost, Setel, and Touch ‘n Go eWallet.
Commercial Crime Investigation Department Director, Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, highlighted that the scammers offered a “cash-out” service on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook Messenger. The scammers deceived victims into scanning a QR code to transfer their eWallet credit directly to their bank accounts, but promptly became unreachable once they received the RM200 credit. Investigations are ongoing under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
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Recipients of eBeliaRahmah have been urged not to transfer or cash out their eWallet credit. The credit can be used across the nation with offline merchants who accept DuitNow QR. The supported eWallets, collectively used by 10 million people, connect with over 2 million merchants.
As the eBeliaRahmah credit became redeemable from 26th June, online “cash-out” services sprung up, with some charging a RM15 fee. The public is cautioned against clicking on unsolicited links sent through SMS or instant messaging platforms claiming to check or redeem the RM200 eWallet credit. The government affirms that only the three supported eWallets are the authorized channels to claim the credit.
Allocating RM400 million for the eBeliaRahmah programme, the government aims to benefit 2 million Malaysian youths. Eligible beneficiaries yet to redeem their credit have until August 22, 2023, to do so, and the credit must be utilized by August 31, 2023. Besides free credit, eWallet providers also offer additional rewards such as vouchers and cashback offers.
In case of scam incidents, victims are advised to contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997.
The source of this news is Malay Mail.
