24/04/2026
Warning: Scammer Alert!
Long story short, we received a large order of 15 boxes of Croissant Tarts from an impostor claiming he works in a well-known public university in Melaka. After signing the Purchase Order, chopped and signed with the staff members of said public uni, we thought everything was okay and proceeded to prepare the products. On the day of collection, this impostor called us and said that they would like to procure some door gifts for the ceremony at night, asking us to call another supplier to get the goods, pay in cash, and then we can claim that back with some profit. When we asked for more information for verification, they could even come up with a poster (AI generated, btw) and an official offer letter, signed off with names that can be found on the staff directory (all the way up to the vice chancellor). When we called said supplier for the door gifts, they also sent a fake name card with a real company name and SSM number, but with the wrong address. The company name they used also deal in wiring and construction work, not in trading gifts or souvenirs. Another big red flag - both numbers of the impostor and the supplier are not registered with Touch N’ Go. Upon verfication via email with the university, we can confirm that the offer letter is fake, and we blocked both contacts immediately.
For small businesses out there, be careful. Scammers are getting more and more advanced. They can easily generate posters and official letters, using staff names that are accurate and can be found on website directories. Anyone could have fallen for the scam, we know we almost did.
If you’d like to read more about the chronology of the events, here it is:
1) Monday, 20th April. An individual sent a message to our store’s phone number with an interest to order 15 boxes of our Kwason Tarts (they are delicious, btw). His profile picture is even the person receiving an award with the university, totally believable (picture 1). On the same day, we provided a quotation, signed a vendor agreement (picture 2 & 3), SSM and bank statement header to this individual - the start of the scam, although everything seems like a normal transaction between a business and a company. The vendor document seems super legit, with headers, officer code, the full works.
2)Tuesday, 21st April. The scammer confirmed that the finance office has approved the payment, and we will receive it after the collection of the goods. He also confirmed he has arranged transport for the 15 boxes of tarts. We proceeded to prepare ingredients for the order.
3) Wednesday, 22nd April. The scammer called us to ask if we can introduce businesses that can do catering or gifting. We did not manage to recommend anyone. This is likely to set the stage for the scam.
4) Thursday, 23rd April. We received a call to confirm if the goods will be ready tomorrow for collection. He even requested a picture (picture 4) so that he can show his superiors for confirmation. This is likely to build trust and legitimacy.
5) Friday, 24th April. We started preparing the goods in the morning, and sent him some pictures. He then made a call saying they urgently need 30 sets of door gifts, each priced at RM200 for the night. He asked us to contact a supplier (likely an accomplice), order and pay by cash (pictures 5 & 6), and then the university will pay us back with some profits. When asked why he cannot deal with the supplier directly, he mentioned that the supplier needs to be registered as a vendor and be paid in cash, which is why the payment should go through us as a new vendor.
This was a big red flag. We then proceeded to ask for information about the event (picture 7), as well as an official offer letter (picture 8). They provided both, as shown below. Do keep in mind that all the names, signatures, and stamps are real staff members working in said university and can be found in the directory. This shows how well-researched these scammers can be. We also called the supplier, and he provided a name card (picture 9) with a legitimate business name and SSM number, but with the wrong address. After many calls with the university’s official number, we finally received a confirmation via email. The event and the offer letter are both illegitimate (picture 10).
We were so close to falling for the scam, but luckily we kept our heads clear and made verifications. The only problem now, who is going to buy our croissant tarts?
