I noted with interest recent reports on the having of thumbprints on land title deeds to deter land scams. I also refer to other reports where the authorities have revealed ‘inside jobs’ with regards to land scams. Many have been conned by dubious land scam investments.

For your readers’ information this is the modus operandi involved in the duping of innocent investors to invest in agricultural land plots located within and outside Kuala Lumpur measuring from 4,000 square feet to 8,000 square feet at a purchase price ranging from RM10,000 to RM20,000 depending on size and location.

The company directors would approach investors and or purchasers to purchase agricultural plots of land. The company directors would hand out their name cards bearing their company positions and titles.

Investors would be offered official documents obtained from the Land Office including detailed land and mapping charts. In addition, investors are informed that the company has ‘connections’ with certain people, supposedly with a royal background, plus other high-ranking Land Office officials.

A search with the Companies Commission of Malaysia would indicate that the company does indeed exist and they are the company directors. However, no submission of audited accounts were made since the company’s registration date.

The impression given by the company directors is that the company owns the said land free from encumbrances. But in fact, the company does not own any land. Investors are initially unaware of the situation since no audited financial statements were made available.

However, the company directors instead would then apply for the land on behalf of these gullible investors.

The investors are asked to bank in the money to the directors’ personal bank accounts instead of directly to a company bank account. The payment is for the purchase of an agricultural land plot measuring approximately 4,000 square feet at a location not too far away from the city. No formal written agreements are drafted out.

After a few months, the company directors would hand over official land application receipts from the Land Office in the name of the investors to the investors.

The investors would be then be wondering why there is no registered land title in the investor’s name. The company directors would then ‘explain’ that the investors would get the land in the end anyway when the Land Office approves their land application under the investor’s name.

Purchasers are told that the Land Office would definitely give their approval letter within a few years since part of the purchase price money was also paid to certain officer from the Land Office to approve the land application.

Checks with the Land Office, however, will indicate that the investor’s names are registered with the Land Office only with respect to application for land plots instead of being the registered owner of the land.

Over time, some of these investors for the land application will have the applications declined by the Land Office.

The company directors will then inform all investors who had their applications rejected to submit their applications again personally.

Request for refunds will not be entertained as it is claimed that part of the money had already been paid to certain officers working in the Land Office.

Matters such as these may have been reported to the authorities namely to the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission. It is sincerely hoped that the relevant authorities would question such company directors and those who have committed any wrongdoing be severely punished.