Fake papers, pay slips used for car loans

THE motor industry and financial institutions in Brunei have recently been the target of loan applicants who furnished fraudulent papers and fake salary slips for car loans.

Papers with the Public Works Department (JKR) letterheads, bearing signatures of its supposed assistant administration officer were presented to various dealerships before it was discovered by the banks that they were fake.

The letters declared that the potential customers were working for the JKR and stated their position, the date of employment as well as their salaries.

Attached to the "official" letters, were also forged salary slips, with details having the official department stamp.

Most of the letters had the signature of Hajah Huda Sabrina Osman. The industry sources said that once the banks found something suspicious, they called the JKR to know about both the "employees" and Hajah Huda. And they were shocked to learn that nobody with those names were with the department. It is not known how many letters have been distributed, but industry insiders have confirmed that the financial institutions have managed to detect things early.

According to sources who wishes to remain anonymous, the financial institutions have already lodged a complaint with the police to investigate into the matter. The Brunei Automobile Traders Association (BATA) felt that such activities should be checked.

"We have to protect the industry and our partners, the banks," said Teng Chee Khiong, managing director of TCY Motors Sdn Bhd and chairman of BATA.

"The finance industry is our backbone and without it we cannot sell cars, so we also have to look after their interest, too," he said.

This is the second scam, involving official documents, coming to light this month.

Earlier this month, a case of more than 250 people being duped by two scamsters, who issued fake employment letters, was reported.

It is not confirmed whether the two cases are linked.

But industry sources feel the letters could be linked to a pyramid scheme, targeting locals.

The Brunei Times