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KUALA LUMPUR: Complaints have surfaced that cheques sent by mail are being intercepted and tampered with, resulting in senders losing money from their current accounts to fraudsters.So far, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong has received five such cases involving tens of thousands of ringgit – and this is just the tip of the iceberg. More cases are expected to be revealed soon.
Authorities believe that fraudsters are “hijacking” cheques sent through the mail and altering the instructions written on them – the payee’s name, date and amount – leaving only the signature intact. The authorities do not rule out the possibility of an inside job.Chong said the people had no idea how easy it was to lose their money this way.
He said those involved were believed to use a high-performance eraser to rub off printed or written words – from ballpoint pen ink to typewriter ribbon ink and other printed alphabets.“After removing the details and leaving only the signature, the suspects will ‘fill in the blanks,’” he said in an interview here yesterday.
It is also believed that the fraudsters used a computer and scanner to produce “clean” copies of the altered cheques.“The end result is very good. Even the banks cannot detect the changes. It looks like the cheques were never tampered with,” Chong added.The public has been advised deposit cheques at banks to prevent them from being intercepted.
Chong said the fraudsters usually used company accounts to cover their tracks.“Those who intercept cheques can alter them in the comfort of their homes and wait for the money to be banked into their accounts. It is only later when you check your current account do you realise you have lost money,” he said.Since August, five victims have approached Chong, three of them late last month.
The five lost over RM50,000 in total.City Commercial CID chief Asst Comm Izany Abdul Ghany advised the people to go banks to deposit their cheques.“Don’t take risks. It’s better to put your cheques into cheque deposit machines in banks. Then, you can get receipts for cheques deposited,” he said.Association of Banks in Malaysia executive director Chuah Mei Lin said the association hoped to work with Chong and the victims to ascertain the facts.
“In the event employees of our member banks are found to be involved, the association is confident that immediate disciplinary and proper punitive action will be taken,” Chuah said.She advised account holders to use registered post, a courier service or to deposit cheques at a cheque deposit machine.Pos Malaysia Bhd chairman Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat said Pos Malaysia viewed the matter very seriously, adding that stern action would be taken against staff caught stealing mail.
“This is a serious case of breach of secrecy. No one can open another person’s mail although by looking at the envelope, you can guess what’s inside. We are still checking if any of our staff are involved. Those caught doing so will be dealt with severely,” he added.
PETALING JAYA: Fraudsters can use many ways to “wash” cheques or tamper with them to make fraudulent withdrawals.A representative from a leading producer of writing, drawing and colouring products said the culprits could use erasers, ethanol or acetone-based chemicals, bleach and other chemicals to “wash” or tamper with the cheques.
Faber Castell marketing manager Andrew Pang, who was asked about the recent wave of “cheque hijacking” complaints, where victims had so far lost a combined total of over RM50,000 to fraudsters, said using a gel pen was the most cost-effective way of preventing “washing” of cheques.
“The gel ink permeates the paper and cannot be erased, whereas the wrong ink technology would easily wash away when such chemicals are used,” he said.“Gel pens will prevent cheque fraud from the common ways of cheque washing,” he said.Pang said the company was working with a local private bank to promote usage of the pen, and was in discussions with other local financial institutions as well.
The Star reported yesterday that numerous complaints have surfaced that cheques sent by mail had been intercepted and tampered with, resulting in senders losing money to fraudsters.The MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong said he received five such cases so far.
KUALA LUMPUR: Cheques sent via mail are believed to have been intercepted from post boxes located in apartments and commercial centres in the Klang Valley.City Commercial CID chief Asst Comm Izany Abdul Ghany said 123 cheques were stolen and tampered with from January to October this year, amounting to about RM3.5mil in losses.
“The post boxes or ‘pigeon holes’ located at the entrance to apartment blocks are often not locked. Many have mail spilling from the boxes, including cheques in envelopes.“Post boxes at commercial or business centres are also targeted. Some companies do not lock their post boxes after office hours,” he told The Star.
“We arrested seven people last year and we are investigating if the fraudsters are part of a well-organised syndicate,” he said.ACP Izany advised the public to deposit their cheques at banks.“Don’t take risks. It’s better to use the bank’s cheque deposit machine. And you can get receipts for cheques deposited,” he said.
Complaints have surfaced that cheques sent by mail are being intercepted and tampered with, resulting in senders losing money.MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong said he has received five such complaints involving tens of thousands of ringgit.
Fraudsters alter the instructions written on cheques – the payee’s name, date and amount – leaving only the signature intact. The authorities have not ruled out the possibility of an inside job.They said those involved were believed to use a high-performance eraser to rub off printed or written words – from ballpoint pen ink to typewriter ribbon ink and other printed alphabets.
After removing the details and leaving only the signature, the suspects would “fill in the blanks”.It is also believed that the fraudsters used a computer and scanner to produce “clean” copies of the altered cheques.
