Petronas MAS Phone Scam - Guess Who Gave Away Your Phone Number

Updated: Aug 19, 2008!
It appears that the Petronas scam has gotten beyond Malaysian shores. Judging from the comments from across the Causeway, I think this issue needs to be examined and investigated in-depth by Petronas. All the numbers are given and one wonders how and why the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) failed to nip the problem in the bud. Surely by triangulation, the scammers' location can be identified, his/her identity revealed and the irresponsible person caught and severely punished. How difficult is that in this age and time when even nasty SMS-senders have been caught and charged?

This blogpost first appeared on April 10 (content as per below). I decided to upgrade this post to see if more discussion here will somehow spur the authorities into action and get the scammers using all methods possible. If possible, the authorities should also get those who sold phone number datas to third parties - especially loyalty schemes and card memberships.

Barely two weeks after I highlighted the unsolicited offer from a bank given to RealRewards members, I am hit with this.

This time, it was a RM14,000 (about USD5,000) offer from Petronas MAS - whatever that acronym means in terms of legitimacy - that my phone SIM card has won.

I wont insult your intelligence by explaining what this might be. And I certainly hope anyone who receives similar messages would be wise enough not to dial the number listed.

But I am highlighting this here so that the authorities concerned could nab the suspect who probably has a list of scammed victims tucked up somewhere.

In case the authorities are wondering how, the phone number of the responsible is up there in the pictures.

I won't be calling the scammer but I do hope our Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will call him/her up pronto.

Better, give him/her two tight slaps on my behalf for sending unsolicited offers and announcements to me.

To Petronas and MAS staff reading this, please inform your legal department and sue the pants of the fella who send this spam on your behalf. The number is up there for your taking.