Company Loses RM79,300 in Procurement Scam Involving Fake Government Purchase Order
PETALING JAYA: A company has suffered losses amounting to RM79,300 after falling victim to a procurement scam in which fraudsters allegedly impersonated a government agency to secure payments for equipment that was never delivered.
The incident highlights the continued use of fake government procurement schemes by scammers targeting businesses, particularly suppliers dealing in industrial equipment and logistics-related products.
According to a source, an employee of the affected company received what appeared to be an official purchase request on June 25, claiming that a government agency intended to purchase 20 tents.
The company was subsequently informed that the same agency also required four generator sets and two portable power stations, bringing the total value of the proposed transaction to RM79,300.
Believing the request to be genuine, company representatives began sourcing the required equipment.
During the process, they contacted a supplier said to have connections with the purported government agency.
However, that supplier allegedly informed the company that it did not have the required stock and referred them to a third-party supplier capable of providing the generators and portable power stations.
The third party then quoted the purchase price and requested advance payment before delivery could be arranged.
Trusting that the procurement was legitimate, the company completed two bank transfers to separate company accounts.
The first payment of RM24,300 was followed by a second transfer of RM55,000, bringing the total amount paid to RM79,300.
According to the source, both payments were made on July 15 and July 16 after assurances were given that the equipment would be delivered directly to the government agency concerned.
However, suspicions arose when the company attempted to contact the agency on July 16 to coordinate the next stage of the delivery process.
No response was received from the agency, while both companies involved in the earlier transactions also became unreachable.
Realising it had likely been deceived, the company lodged a police report.
Preliminary information suggests the suspects misused the name of the government agency to create the impression that the procurement exercise was genuine and to persuade the victim to proceed with payment.
When contacted, Gombak district police chief Assistant Commissioner Ibrahim Husin confirmed that police had received a report regarding the incident.
He said investigations are ongoing to determine how the fraud was carried out and to identify those responsible.
The case serves as another reminder for businesses to independently verify the authenticity of government procurement requests, particularly when instructed to make advance payments to third-party suppliers or unfamiliar company accounts.
Authorities have repeatedly advised companies to confirm purchase orders directly with the relevant government agency and conduct due diligence on suppliers before releasing funds, especially for high-value transactions.
