KUALA LUMPUR: A 21-year-old has ended up RM5,000 poorer after he was duped by a cheat allegedly offering illegal prostitution services.

The victim - who only wanted to be known as How - said an individual using an overseas number had called him last Wednesday (June 13), claiming that he has several students offering themselves as prostitutes at the rate of RM300.

“He called me at 9.45pm and introduced many students for sexual services,” the victim said to reporters in a press conference arranged by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong on Monday (June 18).

The cheat subsequently added the victim on the social messaging application WeChat, and demanded a copy of the victim’s IC to ensure that he is not an undercover police officer.

How obliged and gave a copy of his IC to the cheat, which led to a series of threatening text and voice messages demanding that the machine operator purchase RM5,000 worth of Money Online (MOL) points as a “security deposit”.

The “security deposit” consisted of RM2,000 to ensure that he is not an undercover police officer and another RM3,000 to make sure that he won’t have unnatural sex with the prostitute.

How was told by the cheat that his family would be harmed as he had How's address as stated on his IC.

Startled by the cheat’s threats, the victim then borrowed a total of RM5,000 from his friends to purchase the MOL points on the same night.

He then demanded for another RM5,000 to be banked into his account, allegedly as another “security deposit” to ensure that the MOL points were genuine.

“I rejected his demands. Then, he said he has my phone number and he is able to track my location. He also threatened my family’s safety, saying that he will send 20 gangsters to my house," said How.

The victim subsequently brought the matter up to his father, and the two proceeded to lodge a police report over the matter.

“I know that I’m wrong in this matter. I just hope others won’t make the same mistake as me after hearing my case,” said How.

Meanwhile Chong said that this isn’t an isolated incident as he had dealt with four similar cases in the previous years.

“They are all using the same modus operandi and I know in many cases, victims dare not report such incidents to the police.”

Chong urged the public to be vigilant and not fall prey to such cases in future.

“The police is currently investigating this matter because there has been a threat. I just want the public to be aware of this case and never engage the cheats.