How did scammers target Sarawak Energy customers with fake discounts?

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Scammers Exploited Fake Discounts to Defraud Sarawak Energy Customers

Scammers targeted Sarawak Energy customers by creating a fraudulent Facebook page that falsely advertised significant discounts of 30% to 35% on Sesco electricity bills. This deceptive scheme ultimately defrauded 97 account holders in Sarawak. The perpetrators collected cash payments from victims, who believed these funds would be used to settle their utility bills.
Creation of a Deceptive Online Presence

The scam began with the establishment of a fake Facebook page designed to lure unsuspecting customers. This page prominently featured offers of substantial discounts on electricity bill payments, specifically targeting Sesco bills, a subsidiary of Sarawak Energy. The promise of saving between 30% and 35% on their monthly expenses proved to be a powerful incentive for individuals to engage with the fraudulent service.
Collection of Payments and Submission of Invalid Cheques

Victims of the scam were instructed to make payments directly to a third-party individual. This individual then collected the cash from these customers. As a method of creating a false impression of payment processing, the scammer deposited bad cheques into Sarawak Energy's (SEB) payment kiosks. These cheques were presented as proof that the bill payments had been made, thereby deceiving both the customers and, initially, the payment system.
Use of Invalid Financial Instruments for Deception

Further investigation revealed that the cheques used by the scammers were issued under the name of a company registered in West Malaysia. Crucially, this company's registration had expired, as confirmed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM). The subsequent rejection of these cheques by banks confirmed the fraudulent nature of the entire operation, leaving the 97 electricity accounts unpaid and their holders defrauded of the cash they had handed over.

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How did scammers target Sarawak Energy customers with fake discounts?

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