Malaysian badminton player Lai Pei Jing recently shared her harrowing experience of being scammed out of RM400,000 through a fraudulent job offer.
In a heartfelt message, Lai detailed the circumstances that led to her being deceived.
Introduced by friend
Initially introduced to a software called DOBEVIL by a friend, Lai was hesitant but eventually tried it out due to her career anxieties and uncertainties about her future after retirement.
“Normally, I wouldn’t bother or try these things, but at that time, I was frustrated with my career. I couldn’t achieve any results, which made me anxious about my future prospects after retirement,” she said.
The software, resembling a cross-border e-commerce platform, involved managing online store orders, procurement, and shipments, with Lai earning profits from the transactions.
Unbeknownst to her, the entire operation was a scam.
Fake orders & buyers
The orders, customer service, and buyers were all controlled by the fraudsters.
As the order amounts increased, Lai continued to invest more money, eventually falling into a cycle where failure to process orders would result in account freezes and pressure from fake customer service and buyers.
Despite several doubts during the process, Lai repeatedly sought reassurance from the friend who introduced her to the software instead of consulting her family.
“Throughout the process, I indeed had many doubts, but every time I had suspicions or questions, I foolishly asked the friend who introduced me to this software instead of my close relatives and friends.
Her trust in this friend remained so strong that even when she suspected being scammed, she wondered if her friend might also be a victim.
Lai finally realized the scam when the order amounts became too large to procure goods. After much hesitation, she decided to inform her family about the situation.
Urges everyone to be more careful
In her message, Lai urged everyone to be cautious with financial matters, to seek advice from trusted family members or friends when in doubt, and to avoid making decisions alone.
She also expressed gratitude for the support and understanding she received, as well as the assistance from the police.
Finally, thank you all for your understanding and for giving me the personal space to focus on the competition 🙏🏻. I also thank the police for their assistance. I’m okay now, though it’s impossible to say I’m very well. I chose to come forward because the moment I realized I was scammed, it was truly painful, and I don’t want there to be more victims.
She aims to continue living her life positively and hopes her story will prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.
