Vehicle Repo Scams on the Rise, Public Advised to Know Their Rights

Director of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of PDRM, Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosu has warned individuals engaged in illicit car repossession operations that they are under police surveillance for fraudulent activity where if caught violators will face prosecution under Penal Code Section 379A, which entails a sentence of one to seven years in prison, a fine, or both.

This statement follows a viral video where a woman claimed her cousin was in danger when a man attempted to tow her car without proper documentation at the Tapah Lay-by Area. Tapah district police chief Supt Mohd Naim Asnawi noted that while his department knows of the video, no official report has been filed yet by any party. He also revealed that the tow truck on the video had a fake registration number.

Ramli further asked the public to exercise caution because anyone can become a victim of such crimes. When faced with towing attempts, he counselled people to check the authenticity of the paperwork and to call the police if anything seemed off.

He also stressed the significance of being aware of one's rights and refusing to allow a car to be towed without the required permission.

Meanwhile, criminologist Datuk Shahul Hamid Abd Rahim noted that illegal towing operators frequently target the elderly or inexperienced drivers, and that their standard operating procedure involves using disposable phones and fake registration plates to avoid being discovered.

To add, Shahul also emphasises how crucial it is to understand the correct towing protocols in order to prevent falling for these con artists.