Kedah DOE Alerts Business Premises Owners Of Scammers Posing As Officers

ALOR SETAR, May 11 (Bernama) -- The Kedah Department of Environment (DOE) has advised the public, particularly business premises owners and industry players, to be vigilant following reports of attempted scams by irresponsible individuals posing as its officers.

DOE state director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the department received a report last Friday regarding a man who contacted a victim by phone, falsely claiming the victim had committed an offence under the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

"The suspect informed the victim that a compound would be imposed for the alleged offence. He then offered the victim a 'side settlement’ outside official channels, with a promise to reduce the fine if paid directly to him."

"However, the victim acted wisely by verifying the legitimacy of the DOE officer's identity, which successfully prevented him from being deceived. No financial losses were reported," she said in a statement today.

Sharifah Zakiah stressed that all DOE enforcement procedures are subject to existing legal protocols and standard operating procedures. 

"DOE never processes compound or fine payments through personal bank accounts or cash transactions with individuals outside the office. Any notice, compound, or legal action will be issued formally through written documents, and payments must be made via official government channels," she emphasised.

To prevent fraud, Sharifah Zakiah advised industry players to always verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a DOE officer by asking to see an official authority card or another form of official identification.

She also urged those who receive suspicious calls to immediately contact the nearest Kedah DOE office to check the status of their premises and verify any enforcement records.

"Any attempt at extortion or fraud should be reported to the police immediately for further action. DOE Kedah has also filed a police report regarding this matter," she said.

"Industry players are reminded to consistently comply with environmental regulations to prevent third parties from exploiting any weaknesses. We remain committed to upholding environmental laws without compromising the department's integrity," she added.

-- BERNAMA