Woman duped in parking lot 'lost wallet' ploy
Despite her initial skepticism, his desperate demeanor convinced her to help, only for her to discover later that she had fallen victim to a well-practiced scam.
Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily
SHAH ALAM – A routine outing to a popular mall in Subang Jaya turned into a wake-up call for a young woman who found herself deceived by a scammer in the mall's parking lot.
After watching a movie, the woman was approached by a man claiming to be in distress, urgently needing money for a ride home after losing his car keys and wallet. Photo for illustration purpose only. - 123RF photo
Despite her initial skepticism, his desperate demeanor convinced her to help, only for her to discover later that she had fallen victim to a well-practiced scam.
Her story has since gone viral on Threads, with people sharing the importance of personal safety and vigilance in public spaces.
"I had just finished watching a movie and was heading to my car when a local man with spectacles and messy hair approached me,' she said.
The man claimed he had lost his car keys, leaving his wallet locked inside his vehicle and urgently needed RM35 for a ride via a ride-hailing app.
Initially sympathetic, the woman questioned why he couldn't pay directly through his phone or transfer money to the driver.
His answers included not using popular apps like Grab and instead relying on Bolt.
However, his apparent distress, as he was shaking and out of breath, compelled her to help.
"I thought, what if I were in his shoes? Would anyone help me? But at the same time, I also feared, what if he suddenly pulled out a knife?" she posted.
The man, who identified himself as 'Singh,' provided a phone number and requested the payment via QR code. Reluctantly, the woman transferred RM37 to his account.
As she sat in her car afterward, doubts crept in. Recalling a thread she had read online about parking lot scams, she cross-checked the details and realised she had been duped.
'His name and account matched the details shared in a scam alert post. That's when I knew I'd been scammed," she said.
The woman advised vigilance, particularly for women in isolated areas.
"Even in a busy parking lot, scams like this can happen. What if he had a weapon? I'm grateful nothing worse occurred," she said.
The post quickly gained traction on social media, with many people sharing similar experiences. Some recounted encounters with individuals fitting the same description.
"For me, the RM37 is gone, but I'm safe and that's what matters. Take care of yourselves and be cautious when approached by strangers," she said.
Sinar Daily is currently reaching out to the police for comments on this incident.
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