Trust must be earned
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world had come to a standstill with many countries going into lockdowns. However, as we progress into 2023, lockdowns have lifted and people are trying to return to some semblance of normalcy. Unfortunately, scammers have also come out of the woodwork and are preying on the good nature of people during the Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year celebrations.
These imposters, posing as municipal rubbish collectors, wear actual council T-shirts and go house-to-house collecting red packets. Red packets are a traditional token of appreciation given during the Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year celebrations, and it is a common practice to give them to rubbish collectors, road sweepers, office tea ladies, office cleaners, security guards, and other service providers.
This scam was exposed after a complaint by the public. All the incidents of this scam happened in Penang, and there are also reports of similar incidents happening in the Klang Valley area. It is unfortunate that some people have decided to take advantage of a long-standing tradition and try to make a quick buck through fraudulent means.