REGRETTABLY Malaysia seems to be fertile ground for all sorts of scammers. Just yesterday I received a text message from Bank Negara Malaysia, warning me not to open emails that claim they are from BNM and ask for payment verification.
The newspapers report every month on hundreds of Malaysians losing millions of Ringgit to all sorts of financial predators.
These are the four types of financial predators you should be aware of.
Financial predators that are selling you something amazing (for them). Some financial predators are trying to sell you something and only later you find out that the item is not the best use of your money at all.
Watch out for these financial predators:
* The pyramid scheme operator who is selling you products which sound expensive and technologically sophisticated, but are worthless.
* The shop owner, who recommends expensive or high margin products, which turn out to be unpopular or old products to increase his profit or clear his inventory.
* The property agent, who pushes you to purchase a house despite knowing that there is a price correction coming. He just cares about getting his commission.
* Financial predators that want to make you rich (but make you poor instead).
Other financial predators are not selling you a product, but a dream: to be rich one day. You would be amazed to find out how much people are willing to spend in their pursuit of this dream. You can get rich in many ways, but not nearly as many, as ways in which you can get scammed.
For instance, consider:
*The investor or trader that is selling you currency, gold, stock or property with the promise of extremely high returns. Sometimes they don’t sell the assets, but a "secret" formula or (software) tool to always make a winning trade. Don’t fall for it!
* The prince, minister, lottery winner, retired general and other personalities which will reward you with a slice of their wealth. If first you pay some legal / custom fees.
* The fake lottery / contest predator, that tricks you into thinking you won a sizeable sum of money. You just need to pay up some administration fees before you can redeem your prize.
* The scratch & win agent and casino operator. “The house always wins.” You will bring more to the casino operator than he will give back.
* The (soccer) bookie, who extends upfront credit for you to place more bets and win back your losses. But if you keep losing, his friendly helpfulness will quickly vanish.
Financial predators that "just" want to help you (into bigger problems)
Some financial predators pretend they just want to help you – some may even say they have nothing to gain from it. Be aware of these sophists!
* The financial planner that gets more commission the more financial products you buy. Never mind whether you really need all that insurance and other financial products.
* The loan shark that will give you better rates or quicker disbursement than the bank, but asks much higher interest rates in return.
* The salesman that is selling you expensive insurance on top of your car / phone etc that already have guarantee from the manufacturer.
* The car dealerships and stores who encourage you to take their own (more expensive) financing plans instead of your bank's instalment plans.
* The financial predator that is in love with you (or is it your money)?
* And then finally, the financial predator that lures you with dreams of romance. This one is the saddest of all, because doesn’t everyone deserve more genuine love in their life?
And isn’t it heart-breaking to see how scammers toy with people’s strongest desires, just for monetary gains?
Be aware for online girlfriends and boyfriends that contact you out of nowhere. Don’t be surprised when you find scammers that try to deceive you with romantic talk in the darkest of alleyways on the Internet (or just around the corner on Facebook and other social media apps).
Especially be wary if you have never seen your new love in real life or (s)he is a foreigner and needs your money in order to pay for visa or flights or to pay off local debts before (s)he is allowed to leave.
As you can tell, Malaysia and the world are full of financial predators. Don’t fall prey to them and become their lunch.
By Mark Reijman The Star/ANN
Mark Reijman is co-founder and managing director of https://www.comparehero.my/dedicated to increasing financial literacy and to help you save time and money by comparing all credit cards, loans and broadband plans in Malaysia. Keen on joining the team as a writer, then email mark@comparehero.my
Seeking justice: (Front row, from left) Adviser Tan Kai Hee, Lim Kok, a descendant of one of the victims, Dr Hou, Quek and MCA central committee member Datuk Toh Chin Yaw along with other descendants of the victims at the press conference.
