Z
Zhuge Liang
Guest
Published: Saturday January 22, 2011 MYT 7:48:00 PM
'Friend' lands man into debt trouble
KUALA LUMPUR: A retired businessman, whose passport has been impounded by the Immigration Department, is regretting that he trusted a “friend” to solve his problem. Chow Heng Yew, 63, said that not only was he conned of RM800, the ‘“friend,” known only as Chuan, had used his documents to borrow money from loan sharks.
He said he got to know Chuan at Pudu Plaza shopping centre, where the man worked as a shop assistant. "My passport was impounded due to insolvency. So, each time, I travel overseas, I will need to apply for a permit from the department.
“Chuan told me things could be settled. I did not find anything amiss so I handed him a photocopy of my MyKad, passport and RM800,” said Chow, a widower, at a press conference at the DBKL community centre in Cheras.
Chow said he was shocked when a man showed up on Monday and asked him to pay RM2,000 or risk being locked out of his own house. “I could not reach Chuan and I don’t know if he had borrowed from more Ah Longs using my documents,” added Chow.
“Another man also called me, asking for money and shouting that he would “make me disappear” within two days if I do not pay up,” he claimed.
