Raya scam alert: How Perak ‘kuih’ sellers lost RM300,000 to fake food orders

IPOH, March 18 — Police have received seven reports of fraud involving orders for kuih and food, resulting in losses of over RM300,000 in Perak.

Perak police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Noordin said the suspects’ modus operandi was to initially place orders in certain quantities with bakeries or catering businesses by giving them time to prepare the orders.

“After that, the suspects would request additional items, usually ones not produced by the business operator.

“The suspects would then provide a telephone number supposedly of another operator who could supply the requested items, and ask the earlier business operator to contact that number,” he told a media conference after the launch of Ops Selamat 26 in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026 celebration at the Gopeng Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) here yesterday.

He said that when the victims contacted the given number, the individuals would agree to provide the items, but asked for payment up front.

“Some business operators made payments. But after the payment was made, the individuals could no longer be contacted, and that’s when they realised they had been scammed,” he said. — Bernama