NO COMPROMISE FOR SCAMMERS WHO IMPERSONATE AS ADUNS TO DECEIVE PEOPLE OF BKJ- JOHOR MB

JOHOR BAHRU, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has reminded the people of the state to remain vigilant against Bantuan Kasih Johor (BKJ) scam activities, which are currently reported to be widespread.

Onn Hafiz emphasised that all official information regarding BKJ will only be announced through the Johor State Government's official channels.

Accordingly, he advised the public to always verify information and refrain from clicking suspicious links or sharing personal details with any unauthorised parties.

"I view seriously the police disclosure regarding the existence of 12 TikTok accounts suspected of abusing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to mimic the faces and voices of state government exco members to deceive the public.

"This is an irresponsible act of organised crime. These syndicates are not only tarnishing the state leadership but are also attempting to exploit the people's trust by using state government logos and identities to steal personal information such as phone numbers, identification card numbers, and bank account details," he said in a Facebook post today.

Onn Hafiz asserted that the state government will not compromise with any party attempting to toy with the people's welfare and expressed his appreciation to the Royal Malaysia Police for collaborating with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to track down the masterminds behind these accounts.

"We will continue to protect the welfare and safety of 'Bangsa Johor' from cybercrime threats. Insya-Allah, firm action will be taken, and the masterminds involved will be brought to justice," he said.

Earlier, Johor Police Chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad confirmed receiving a report from the Johor Women, Family, and Community Development Committee Chairman, Khairin-Nisa Ismail@Md On, who is also the Serom State Assemblyman, last Friday.

He noted that preliminary investigations found the accounts are operating from abroad and are believed to be used for identity theft.

However, he added that as of now, no police reports have been lodged by victims losing money to the scam. The case is being further investigated under Section 420/511 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

--BERNAMA