Consumer Rights · Scam Alert · October 1, 2026, 9:11 AM CDT · Updated 5:38 PM CDT · Updated 5:39 PM CDT · Updated 5:40 PM CDT
Key Facts
- Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon says his account on an app on his smartphone was hacked.[1]
- Several of his friends received a voice message that seemed to come from him, saying there was an emergency matter.[1]
- He says he has never asked anyone to lend him money.[1]
A Johor state official says scammers hacked his account and used it to send his friends a voice message pretending to be him.[1]
Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said in a Facebook post that several acquaintances contacted him after receiving the message.[1]
“Earlier, several of my friends received a voice message purportedly from me, saying there was an emergency matter,” he wrote.[1]
When the person behind the message was asked to make a phone call, he contacted one of Ling’s friends, but his voice sounded suspicious, Ling said.[1]
“I want to stress that I have never asked anyone to lend me money,” he said. He asked people not to make any transactions or readily trust messages and calls that use his identity.[1]
What the Scam Looks Like
The voice message itself has not been published. This is how Ling described the scam reaching people.
- A familiar name on a hacked account. The message comes from a contact you trust.
- An unspecified “emergency.” Urgency is meant to stop you checking.
- A voice that does not match. Ling says the caller’s voice sounded suspicious.
Summarised from his Facebook post as reported by New Straits Times. The voice message itself was not published, so no wording of it is shown. The “Step” labels are ours.
How to Protect Yourself
- Do not send money because of a voice message, even if it sounds like someone you know. His own account was hacked, so the message really did arrive from his name.
- Hang up and call the person back on the number you already have for them, or ask a question only they could answer.
- If you get a message like this, tell the person it claims to be from. Ling asked people to spread the word so no one falls victim.[1]
How to Verify This Yourself
Read the original report at nst.com.my. It is the source for everything above, including the quotes from Ling’s Facebook post.
References
Investigative methodology: this post was first produced automatically from the New Straits Times alert, which restated the story without any example of the scam. It was revised by hand from that report. Quoted text is verbatim from it. The voice message was not published, so none of its wording is shown; the card above summarises Ling’s own description.
Kemetic Minds Editorial Desk
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