Beware of kidnap-ransom scam calls, says Chong

This is an article from the Star today. Sad to say, that there are so many cheaters around.

My personal advise to parents:

1. please do not send your child to school too early.
2. please advise your child to stay within the school compound when they are in school.
3. please pick up your child at the appropriate time. please do not let them wait too long hours
in school. Sometimes, I notices that some children had to wait for hours for their parents to
pick them up in school.
4. pick up the phone and call the school if you happen to receive such call.


Friday April 24, 2009

Beware of kidnap-ransom scam calls, says Chong

KUALA LUMPUR: If someone calls you claiming your child has been kidnapped and demanding a ransom, you may want to check on your child’s whereabouts first.

According to MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong, a syndicate has been attempting to trick parents into paying a ransom when the child was actually safe.

Chong said his department had received reports of several such cases, and urged the public to be on the alert.

“One case involved a lady who was told to pay a ransom for her son’s release. The syndicate even played her a child’s voice (over the phone) asking her for help,” he said.

Chong said the syndicate had threatened to kill her son if she lodged a police report.

“However, the lady, feeling something was amiss, went to the school and found out that her son was safe,” he said, adding that the woman lodged a police report at the Kelana Jaya police station.

Chong added that parents should have their children’s school phone numbers so they could call to check on their whereabouts if they received such calls.