In an era where scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s essential to remain vigilant and cautious when dealing with unexpected phone calls and messages.
A recent revelation by legal expert Hafiz Baharuddin, shared on the TikTok account @lawyersresponse, sheds light on a concerning scam that has caught the attention of netizens.
Summon payment calls impersonating courts
According to Hafiz, individuals should exercise extreme caution if they receive a phone call claiming to be from the court, demanding payment for a supposed summons through an agency allegedly appointed by the court itself.
The lawyer warns that this type of call is likely a scam, and here’s why.
“Recently someone asked, they got a message from the court saying that there is a lawsuit that has been registered in their name,” Hafiz revealed in his TikTok video.
“Supposedly, the court ordered the person to pay the summons to the agency appointed by the court to collect the money.”
However, Hafiz makes it clear that such calls are undoubtedly scams, as legitimate court-related payments do not involve public companies or other government agencies.
If there is a payment to the court, you will be ordered to pay through the court system, he emphasised.
“If there is an order from the court asking you to pay the person claiming the debt, the court will prepare an order with the case number and the name of the court that issued the order,” he continued.
This order is a crucial piece of evidence that can help individuals verify the legitimacy of the supposed lawsuit.
Verify before you pay
Hafiz offers valuable advice for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.
He advises individuals to reach out to the court directly to verify the authenticity of the lawsuit. “You can call the court and ask to examine the case. Then, mention the case number to check,” he suggested.
“If the court finds that there is no case, it means that the call that was received earlier was just a ‘scam’,” Hafiz concluded.
Hafiz’s TikTok video, warning about the court impersonation scam, has garnered significant attention. It has received over 319k views and 500 comments, signaling that many people have encountered similar fraudulent calls or messages.
One user humorously remarked, “The funniest part is these scammers would call us on Sunday and claim they are government officer. If they want to scam, maybe they should do it on Monday.”
Another user shared a frustrating encounter, saying, “I once got a call from LHDN telling me I have RM50,000 debt, while I’m just a housewife.”
Yet another user shared a clever tactic to deal with scammers, stating, “I did entertain them, then I said ‘hold on, I’m at the police station’ and the scammer hung up on me swiftly.”
You can watch the full clip here:
What would you do if you were in the same situation? Let us know in the comments.
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