KUCHING: The Credit Management and Counselling Agency (AKPK) has denied appointing third party agents to engage with customers because their services are free-of-charge.
Its Kuching branch head Marlene Margaret Nichol said AKPK has received numerous reports from customers that they had been approached by individuals claiming to be from the agency to help restructure their debts.
Marlene Margaret Nichol
“All can come directly to us for financial counselling and debt management services free-of-charge,” she said, adding that AKPK is an agency under Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), which provides financial education, financial counselling and debt management services
“If you are in a stressful financial situation, like house auction looming or car due for repossession, come to us. Do not believe third parties who promise to solve your problems for a fee. This is a scam,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Marlene also said there were third parties soliciting money from individuals in debt as payment fee to restructure or reschedule their debt payment.
She said they were alerted about these unscrupulous third-party agents after several customers related how they were brought to the agency after paying a certain sum of money for service rendered.
“It’s a double whammy for our customers who are already in debt but are again misled into paying a few thousand ringgit as service fee.”
She related a case involving a female customer who was approached by a ‘consultant’ claiming to be from AKPK to help her settle a RM200,000-loan by charging a fee of 10 per cent of the loan amount.
Luckily for her, Marlene said, a relative told her about AKPK’s services which are free, and she managed to avoid paying the 10 per cent service fee, and is now enrolled with their debt management programme.
“Scammers are also taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic and the many government assistance to dupe people into parting with their money.”
She said the most active scams are Macau scam, False Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC), personal loans scam, online purchase of face masks and the use of false website or applications using the name of Bank Negara Malaysia.
Those interested to know more about their financial education modules can visit their website at www.akpk.org.my.
Marlene said their services are still available during Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) through an online communication channel via google form by visiting their website at www.akpk.org.my and scan the QR code to access the Google form.
Alternatively, customers can call their customer care line at 03-2616 7766 or log on to ask.akpk.org.my for tips and the latest financial information.