A China tourist claimed that she encountered three different scammers within three hours of arriving in Kuala Lumpur, sparking discussions on social media.
The incidents, which unfolded at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, involved scammers who approached the woman shortly after her arrival, each trying to deceive her into giving them money.
The woman shared her unnerving experience on Xiaohongshu, detailing how each scammer greeted her with a friendly smile and inquired whether she was Chinese or Malaysian Chinese.
Ways of scamming
As the conversations progressed, the scammers would find clever pretexts to ask for money.
They claimed they needed funds for various purposes—ranging from transportation fees to money lost in gambling.
“Two of them even used the exact same reason. Why can’t they be a little more creative?”
She later claimed that she met 3 scammers within 3 hours, 2 in KLIA and another one just outside of it.
“Project in Shanghai”
She also mentioned a particularly bold scammer who concocted a story about having an urgent project in Shanghai.
He claimed he was unable to contact an associate and desperately needed money to purchase a plane ticket.
He initially asked for 400 Malaysian Ringgit, then casually dropped his request to 200 Ringgit when the woman hesitated, even attempting to guilt her into complying by remarking,
“Young lady, you can’t just watch someone die without helping.”
These incidents occurred shortly after the woman withdrew money from an ATM, which may suggest that the scammers were observing her from the moment she accessed her funds.
Netizens’ reaction
The video posted by the tourist has prompted a broader discussion about safety and vigilance at airports, emphasizing the importance for travellers to be aware of such scams and know how to avoid them.
Some netizens also questioned whether the scammers might actually come from China, as they have encountered many foreign scammers operating in Malaysia based on their own experiences.
The publisher also clarified that she suspects they are from China and mentioned this in the video cover, referring to them as “brethren.”
“Can’t really tell their nationality”
Speaking to WeirdKaya, she explained that despite her suspicions, she isn’t sure about their nationality.
“The only thing I remember is that all of them were dressed very nicely, each wearing a proper suit.”
She also shared with us that she mainly stayed at Kuala Lumpur for this trip and had a great experience here.
“Except for the encounter with scammers, Malaysia is actually a great place to visit!” She said.
