A car rental scam dating back to 2018 has left multiple victims across Malaysia out of thousands of ringgit and searching for answers as the alleged perpetrator continues to evade authorities. The 29-year-old man reportedly used a methodical approach to gain vehicle owners’ trust, only to disappear with their cars after making timely rental payments for months.
According to Datuk Seri Michael Chong, head of the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department, the suspect would rent vehicles, pay for several months, then vanish with the cars. The stolen vehicles were either sold to unsuspecting buyers or used as collateral for loans from moneylenders, with the suspect never returning the cars or repaying the debts. This pattern allowed the scammer to accumulate millions of ringgit over the years.
Four victims came forward on Monday seeking Chong’s assistance. Police have indicated that many others may have fallen victim to the same individual, who possesses a criminal record and has been arrested and charged multiple times without curbing his activities.
Among the victims is 31-year-old Aaron Tiyagarajan, whose identity was allegedly used fraudulently by the suspect to deceive three other individuals into transactions. Aaron has been burdened by mistaken identity issues, including police questioning and a period of remand, despite never having lost his official identification card (MyKad). “I have no idea how the suspect got hold of my identity,” Aaron said, describing sleepless nights caused by the confusion.
Other victims have shared similar stories of loss. Abdul Muaz Ahmad Baharudin rented his high-end multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) to the suspect in April and received payments for three months. The man then disappeared, later advertising the vehicle for sale without Abdul’s knowledge. Another victim from Penang reported losing a sedan under comparable circumstances.
In a recent incident from early September, 49-year-old businessman Cheah Hwa Kong, based in Puchong, Selangor, lost possession of his MPV after renting it out for two weeks at RM3,000. Although the suspect made the rental payment, he failed to return the vehicle and disabled its GPS tracking system, making it difficult to locate. Cheah discovered the MPV in Taiping, Perak, on September 26 and retrieved it. He later learned the car had been pledged as collateral with a moneylender by the suspect.
Chong has called for a stronger police response to investigate the case thoroughly and bring the suspect to justice, noting the significant number of police reports filed against the individual. The ongoing scam highlights the need for heightened vigilance in rental transactions amid increasingly sophisticated fraudulent schemes.