Conmen targets elderly ladies in Sungei Way

By The Star Metro

ELDERLY ladies in the Sungei Way new village in Petaling Jaya are being targeted by conmen who take advantage of their vulnerability.

Ooi Lea Choo, 63, said that she received a call about a week ago from a man who claimed that her 38-year-old son had been kidnapped and beaten up.

“The call came at about 1pm. The man spoke in Cantonese and asked for RM30,000. I could hear screaming over the phone and I immediately panicked because I really thought that they had beaten my son,” said Ooi.

Fortunately for her, she immediately called her son and found that he was in fact safe and unharmed.

Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San said that at least five ladies living along the same road in Sungei Way had received the same call.

“We suspect that the man making the calls know these ladies well because he knew a lot about their family background. I tried calling back the number and a lady answered the phone saying she had no idea what I was talking about,” said Lau.

Another resident, who only wanted to be known as Mrs Chong, 69, said that she received a similar call telling her that her 38-year-old son working in Singapore had been kidnapped by Ah Longs (money lenders) and was beaten up.

“They also asked me for RM30,000. My husband was not around at that time and I was just distraught. I told them that I would meet them at the cinema to hand them the money but they immediately knew that the cinema was in front of the police station.

“Thankfully, one of my neighbours helped me call my daughter. She immediately contacted my son in Singapore and he was actually sleeping at home,” she said.

Lau said that these cheating cases was quite rampant in Sungei Way.

“Some people would offer residents goods at discounted prices provided that they commit a certain amount of deposit. One lady was cheated off her life savings of about RM70,000.

“I urge those who have come in contact with these conmen or were cheated to lodge a police report. Young adults working away from their hometown should communicate regularly with their elderly parents and update them of their whereabouts so that they do not fall prey to these conmen,” he said.