A CONMAN is lurking in Penang for victims, mainly pharmacies. One Saturday afternoon two weeks ago, this well-dressed conman came into my pharmacy claiming that he was a doctor from Hong Kong and he was on a cruise holiday.

Speaking good English, he told me that he lost his wallet in a taxi, and the taxi man was not helpful to him.

He said he was very happy to see a pharmacy there because it had some connection with his profession. He borrowed my mobile phone to contact the credit card headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

After talking with KL headquarters for some 15 minutes or so, he said he had to reach KL before 10pm to get a replacement of his credit card. With the replacement, he said everything would be all right.

He was a first-class actor who could fool anyone listening to him. He hung around in my pharmacy, not wanting to leave until I asked him. Then he said, “I have never been in such an embarrassed situation; I am completely cashless now. I need the bus fare to go to KL.”

Earlier, he expressed that he was moving to settle down in Penang and the container was arriving in Penang on Tuesday from Hong Kong. He said he would return the money to me on Tuesday. a

I lent him RM150, thinking that a doctor would not cheat. Later, I mentioned this to my fellow pharmacists and was shocked to find out that there were 10 others like me; all had been conned from RM51 to RM200.

I urge all pharmacies in Penang, Alor Setar or Johor Baru to be aware of this sound-like-a-doctor-and-look-like-a-doctor conman.

PHARMACIST,

Penang.

Source: The Star – February 29, 2008