KUCHING (Dec 18): Nearly 100 electricity account holders in Sarawak have fallen victim to a scam involving fake discounted bill payment services. The scam promised discounts of up to 35% on Sesco bills but instead left customers with unpaid accounts and financial losses.
Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) issued a public notice on Dec 9 warning residents about the fraudulent activity. The scam operated through a Facebook page that lured customers by claiming to offer discounted bill payment services.
According to SEB, a customer who engaged with the scam confirmed being cheated. The scammer collected cash payments from victims and provided bogus payment receipts. These receipts were backed by cheques deposited into SEB kiosks. However, the cheques were later rejected by banks, as they were issued under an expired company registration from West Malaysia.
The scam has affected 97 customers who unknowingly paid a third-party individual, expecting their electricity bills to be settled at a lower cost.
What Should You Do If You’re Affected?
SEB advises affected customers to:
- Immediately stop communicating with the scammer.
- File a report with their respective banks.
- Lodge a police report.
Always Use Official Payment Channels
SEB reminds customers to only use authorised payment methods, including:
- SEB customer service counters.
- SEB payment kiosks.
- The ‘SEB cares’ mobile app.
- PayBills Malaysia, Pos Malaysia, JomPAY, or FPX via internet banking.
For further assistance, customers can contact SEB’s Customer Care Centre at 1300-88-3111 or email customercare@sarawakenergy.com.
This incident highlights the importance of verifying payment channels and avoiding unofficial offers that seem too good to be true.
