The Malaysian Insight

BOGUS fundraisers are now tapping into social media and using young people as “volunteers” to fleece the public.

A social worker said these fake volunteers approach welfare homes and shelters offering to help with raising funds, while the head of a complaint bureau said victims have found their personal photos used in so-called fundraisers on Facebook.

Social worker Wendy Yap said such tactics seem more prevalent since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It was used before but has become rife since the pandemic.

“The scammers take a cut from the money raised. Some are young and drive luxury cars,” said Yap, who has been in social work for 30 years.

“They can raise RM1 million but the welfare centre only receives RM100,000. In the end, it is the centre’s name that gets tarnished,” said Yap, founder of Kajang Caring Home, which caters to the elderly, and single and unwed mothers, among other needy groups.

Yap said these young scammers operate by making door-to-door visits, or through phone calls.

She distinguishes genuine fundraisers from the scammers based on whether they are operating as an intermediary, or are direct representatives of a charity organisation. 

“I will reject any offer of help that entails the other person taking a cut. Genuine fundraisers will ask people to donate directly to a home’s account instead of another account.”

This is one way to determine whether a fundraiser is genuine, she said.

Another method scammers use is to offer food catering at a certain price but the quality of the food is far less in value.

“In fact, the food delivered is sometimes deplorable,” Yap said, adding that some scammers posing as caterers have raised more than RM100,000 purportedly to cook for several homes.

“These people are taking advantage of others in the name of charity,” she said.

DAP youth complaints bureau chief Darren Lee revealed last month the use of people’s photos and personal information from their Facebook accounts.

He held a press conference to expose donation scams based on the experience of 10 victims, who had their information and photos used on the pretext of raising funds.

One of the victims even met a bogus volunteer and later found that personal photos were used on Facebook for fundraising without permission.

A single mother, who was seeking funds for her sick son, also fell prey to fake volunteers who helped her raise money and made off with it.

Lee told The Malaysian Insight that while police reports have been lodged, cases were often dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Scammers also used phone calls during the movement restrictions and that young people seem inclined to getting involved in such scams as they can earn 30% to 40% of the amount raised simply by making telephone calls, said Lee.

“It is a grey area and there are no laws to regulate fundraising (in this manner). We plan to submit a memorandum to the Welfare Department to solve the problem,” he said. – December 18, 2020.