Stay alert, don’t be conned

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Welfare Department never uses ‘middlemen’ to help the people; all services by department free

Datuk Fatimah Abdullah

Datuk Fatimah Abdullah

KUCHING: Three ‘welfare officers’ accosted a 64-year-old housewife at her farm in Kota Padawan last Wednesday and boasted they could help her get RM550 monthly assistance from the Welfare Department.

They then took this Kampung Sikog folk to the Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd Branch in Satok to withdraw RM22,000, purportedly to be deposited into another account. The three strangers then dropped the sexagenarian off at her son’s house, but minus the RM22,000.

However, police have a lead for this case. But this con job is nothing new, and it will continue to befall the gullible, especially elderly folk, if they do not stay vigilant at all times, said Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development.

In urging the public to raise the red flag when approached by so-called welfare officers who appeared out of nowhere, she gave a fresh reminder that the Welfare Department had never engaged anyone to act as middleman to help the people with their welfare aid application.

“All services carried out by the department are free, including the forms and processing of documents.

“The department also never asks for payment or instructs applicants to transfer money from their savings account to other bank accounts,” she told reporters covering the courtesy call on her by the state’s Special Olympics 2015 athletes at her office in Bangunan Baitulmakmur yesterday.

Information on terms and conditions, eligibility and application processes for various welfare schemes for senior citizens, single mothers, and people with disabilities are readily available for public reference, she pointed out.

“Our service is to help the people, thus no fee will be imposed. When an application is approved, the applicant only needs to open a bank account and provide the Welfare Department with proof of account and details.

“Be reminded that if you are approached by individuals claiming to be from Welfare Department, be wary. It is definitely a fraud if they ask you to withdraw money.

“The Welfare Department does not appoint people to act as middleman.” Fatimah, however, said the department does recognise and encourages community leaders to help their people to apply for welfare assistance.

In advising the public to call the local welfare office should they be approached by individuals or strangers who claimed to represent the Welfare Department, Fatimah said the department would launch an information directory on all available aid and services soon.

“It would be distributed to the target groups in all districts. With such booklets, we hope the people will be more aware of the types of aid, application methods and eligibility so that no individuals will be scammed.”

Meanwhile, the case involving the 64-year-old housewife may be possible to solve. This is because on Friday, the identity of a man believed to be one of the conmen has been identified when the victim found his MyKad inside her handbag.

It is unclear whether the 45-year-old man had dropped his identity card accidentally or intentionally into the bag. Police are now on the trail of the three bogus welfare officers.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property. The penalty upon conviction is imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year and not more than 10 years and with whipping, and shall also be liable to a fine.