Property Scams in Malaysia: Fake Agents, Fake Owners, Payment Diversion and How to Check
Avoiding property scams in Malaysia takes a handful of checks rather than a law degree: look up the agent’s REN number on the register of the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers (LPPEH/BOVAEP); have your own solicitor run an official title search (carian rasmi) to confirm who the registered proprietor is; and treat any e-mail changing bank details as unverified until you have phoned the firm on a number you sourced yourself. This guide is organised by the type of scam, and each one comes with the actual lookup, the exact URL and where to report it. Read it as a checklist you run before money moves, not as a reason to be nervous.
Short answer
Three checks stop most property scams in Malaysia. Verify the agent’s REN number on the LPPEH register at search.lppeh.gov.my, or scan the QR code on the physical REN tag. Have your own solicitor run an official title search (carian rasmi) and match the registered proprietor’s name and IC against the seller’s documents. And confirm any change of bank details by phone, on a number you sourced yourself. Run the receiving account through Semak Mule first, and call 997 if money has already moved.
Key numbers at a glance
| Check an agent | LPPEH register: Search for Negotiator (REN) / Search for Member (REA) |
|---|---|
| Number formats | REN 12345 for a negotiator; E-1234 for a registered estate agent |
| Unregistered agency penalty | Fine up to RM300,000, up to 3 years' jail (Act 242) |
| Confirm ownership | Official search (carian rasmi), commissioned by your own solicitor |
| Effect of a forged transfer | The immediate purchaser's title is defeasible (s.340 NLC, Tan Ying Hong 2010) |
| Bank-detail change e-mails | Phone to confirm on a number you sourced yourself, never one in the e-mail |
| Check an account or phone | Semak Mule: semakmule.rmp.gov.my (PDRM CCID) |
| If you have been scammed | Call 997 (NSRC), lodge a police report, tell your bank and solicitor |
Key points in 30 seconds
- Verify the person on the register, not the business card: at the LPPEH search page choose “Search for Negotiator” for a REN or “Search for Member” for a registered estate agent (REA), valuer or property manager. Only an REA, or a firm headed by one, may charge a fee, and sale commission is capped at 3% of the price.
- Acting as an estate agent without registration is an offence under the Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Act 1981 (Act 242), carrying a fine of up to RM300,000, imprisonment of up to 3 years, or both.
- There is only one way to confirm ownership: have your own solicitor run an official search (carian rasmi) and match the registered proprietor’s name and IC against the seller’s identity documents. A search PDF forwarded to you by the agent or the “owner” is worthless.
- Registration does not rescue you: in Tan Ying Hong (Federal Court, 2010) deferred indefeasibility was restored under s.340 of the National Land Code, so an immediate purchaser who takes title through a forged instrument holds a defeasible title.
- Payment diversion is the costliest pattern. The Malaysian Bar has issued warnings in 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 about fake firms, forged stamp duty acknowledgments and hijacked e-mail. The rule is one line: confirm any change of bank details by telephone, on a number you sourced yourself.
- The official checks are free: BNM’s Financial Consumer Alert List, the SC’s Investor Alert List, PDRM’s Semak Mule for a bank account or phone number, and KPKT’s TEDUH for developers and projects. If money has already moved, call the National Scam Response Centre on 997 straight away.
How to check a property agent's REN number in Malaysia
Estate agency in Malaysia is regulated by the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers (Lembaga Penilai, Pentaksir, Ejen Harta Tanah dan Pengurus Harta — LPPEH, also known as BOVAEP) under the Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Act 1981 (Act 242). A business card, a Facebook page, even a lanyard, prove nothing. The register does.
- Open the register searchsearch.lppeh.gov.my. The board also serves a search at lpeph.gov.my/search-listing.
- Pick the right categoryChoose “Search for Negotiator” to check a REN, or “Search for Member” to check a registered Estate Agent (REA), valuer, appraiser or property manager.
- Search on any of four fieldsREN number, name, IC number or phone number. A negotiator’s number begins with REN (for example REN 12345); a registered estate agent’s begins with E (for example E-1234).
- Check the physical tagA REN tag is red, carries a silver BOVAEP hologram and a QR code that resolves to the official profile. Scan the QR code yourself — never accept a photograph of a tag.
- Match the person to the firmThe name, IC and agency on the register must match the person in front of you and the company name on the account you are being asked to pay.
REN, REA, PEA — who is who, and who may charge you
- REA (Registered Estate Agent): a registered firm principal. Only an REA, or a firm headed by one, may charge a fee.
- PEA (Probationary Estate Agent): in training towards registration.
- REN (Real Estate Negotiator): works under an REA and holds a REN tag; a REN cannot invoice you directly.
- Commission: the fee scale caps sale commission at 3% of the price, plus 8% SST if the firm is SST-registered. The roles and the scale are set out in the guide to REN, REA and PEA.
Unregistered agency is an offence. Under Act 242, acting as an estate agent without registration carries a fine of up to RM300,000, imprisonment of up to 3 years, or both. I am not citing a section number for that penalty, because I could not confirm one from a source I trust — the penalty is corroborated, the section is not.
Red flags you can spot in the first meeting
- Refusing to give a REN or E number, or giving one that the register does not return.
- Manufactured urgency — “another buyer is paying the deposit tonight”. Every scam needs you in a hurry.
- Asking for the deposit in a personal bank account rather than the agency’s or the solicitor’s account.
- A price well below the surrounding market, with a story to explain it.
- Nothing put in writing, and no official receipt.
How to verify ownership with a title search before paying a deposit
For a subsale this is the single most important step, and it belongs before any deposit changes hands. There are two kinds of search:
| Type | What it is | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Carian persendirian (private search) | A plain black-and-white printout from the Land Office. Not certified. | Quick preliminary checks |
| Carian rasmi (official search) | A printout bearing the Land Registrar’s stamp and the officer’s signature. Certified. | Official submissions and legal reliance |
Both show the registered proprietor and IC number, the title type and number, any charge to a bank, any caveat, any restriction in interest (sekatan kepentingan), the lease tenure and prior ownership. You can obtain one at the Land Office counter, through e-Tanah (KL and Selangor, with state equivalents elsewhere), through a law firm or through a licensed search service.
On cost: the figures usually quoted for KL and Selangor are around RM30 for a private search and RM50 for an official one, with intermediaries adding roughly RM20–50. Those are indicative numbers dated January 2024, and fees are set by each state — for Johor, check with PTG Johor rather than assuming the KL figure.
The four recurring land-fraud patterns
- Forged documents — forged signatures on the transfer instrument (Form 14A) together with fake identity documents.
- Impersonation of the registered owner — someone with a counterfeit IC signing before a commissioner for oaths.
- A misused power of attorney — a PA given for a limited purpose, such as managing a tenancy, used to sell the property outright. The risks are covered in the power of attorney guide.
- Insider collusion — accomplices inside a land office or law firm pushing forged documents through with genuine signatures and stamps.
The statutes engaged include sections 299, 322, 329 and 340 of the National Land Code 1965, and sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 463 (forgery) of the Penal Code.
Why getting the title transferred is not the end of the risk
Most buyers assume that once the title is in their name they are safe. They are not. In Tan Ying Hong v Tan Sian San & Ors [2010] 2 MLJ 1 the Federal Court overruled Adorna Properties and restored deferred indefeasibility under section 340 of the National Land Code. The effect is that an immediate purchaser who takes title through a forged or void instrument holds a defeasible title that can be set aside; only a subsequent purchaser acquiring in good faith for valuable consideration gets an indefeasible one.
In plain terms: buying from a bogus owner can leave you with nothing, and registration does not cure it. That is why an official search commissioned by your own solicitor is the best value in this entire article.
An official search (carian rasmi) is quoted at around RM50 in KL and Selangor — a state-set, indicative figure from January 2024. Skipping it risks buying from a bogus owner, and under s.340 of the National Land Code the immediate purchaser’s title is defeasible, so the money and the property can both be lost. Trading RM50 against a six-figure exposure is the best value on this page. See subsale due diligence.
Ask Louis directly
Not sure someone is genuine? Send me the REN number, the firm name or the receiving account details and I'll run the checks with you and tell you what looks wrong.
I'll check an agent's REN or E number and the firm they work under, or a developer's licence and APDL number, for free — and send you the checks to run, in order, before you pay anything.
The e-mail that changes the law firm's bank account: payment diversion
This is the pattern with the largest single losses, and it is disarmingly simple. The fraudster gets into (or convincingly imitates) the e-mail thread and, at the moment you are due to transfer, sends an “updated banking details” message. The letterhead is right, the signature block is right, the file reference is right. Only the account number has changed. Once the money lands it is broken up and withdrawn within hours.
What the Malaysian Bar has actually warned about, and when
- 22 October 2006 — “Public Beware: Fake Law Firm”: a website advertised “HS Attorneys” of Kuala Lumpur and a fictitious “Barrister Huang Shen Esq”. The Bar Council noted that it is an offence for an unauthorised person to practise as an advocate and solicitor, and moved to lodge a police report.
- 2012 — Circular No 179/2012, “Forged Acknowledgment of Payment of Stamp Duty”: forged proof that stamp duty had been paid.
- 1 July 2014 — Circular No 137/2014: a legal firm was “scammed into releasing its client’s money to a bank account based on information by a fraudster” after the fraudster hacked e-mail accounts and impersonated the client to authorise the transfer.
- 2016 — Circular No 103/2016, “Alert: Possible Scam Against Lawyers Involved in Conveyancing Practice”, and 2017 — Circular No 158/2017, “Fraud Alert: Know Your Office Manager”, both listed on the Bar’s conveyancing practice circulars page.
I want to be precise about this: those are the Bar warnings I could verify, and they are dated 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017. I found no 2024–2026 Malaysian Bar public warning specifically about fake conveyancing e-mails diverting property deposits. The technique is still common, but do not assume there is a fresh official alert — cite these by their dates.
Four things to do before any transfer
- Confirm the account name is the full name of the law firm or the developer company, never an individual.
- Telephone on a number you sourced yourself and read the account number back digit by digit.
- Run the account number and the contact number through Semak Mule.
- Send a small test transfer, confirm receipt, then send the balance — and ask for an official receipt immediately.
Fake listings and rental deposit scams: why tenants get hit most
In November 2024 the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA) warned publicly about a rise in fake rental agent scams. The pattern is consistent: fraudsters show properties they do not control, manufacture urgency (“there’s high demand for this unit”), collect a deposit and disappear. They work with fake business cards and social media profiles, and foreign students are a favourite target because they do not know local practice.
FOMCA’s checks are practical ones:
- Never pay into a personal bank account — pay the registered agency’s account.
- Deal only with registered agents (the lookup is in the first section of this guide).
- Insist on a properly stamped tenancy agreement and official receipts.
- Other consistently listed red flags: pressure to decide immediately, a price well below market, refusal to give a registration number, refusal to put anything in writing.
Check once before the viewing, once before you pay
- Before viewing: reverse-search the listing photos and the address. The same unit advertised by several different “agents” at different prices is a classic signal.
- At the viewing: ask for the REN or E tag and scan the QR code; ask to see the title or an assessment tax bill and match the address and the name.
- Before paying: run the receiving account and phone number through Semak Mule, insist on the company account, and collect the receipt on the spot.
'Investment' property offers with guaranteed returns
When a property opportunity is packaged as a scheme — pooled money, guaranteed returns, someone else managing it — it may already be a regulated product. The patterns the Securities Commission Malaysia sets out on its “Beware of Scams” page map almost exactly onto dressed-up property offers:
- Non-existent investment schemes promising high returns with little or no risk.
- Marketing through Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.
- Payment into personal bank accounts.
- “Limited time only” urgency.
- Demands for extra “taxes” or “fees” before you are allowed to withdraw.
- False Shariah-compliant claims.
- Forged certificates from authorities and fake celebrity endorsements.
The SC’s own warning is blunt: “If you invest through unauthorised entities and individuals, you will not be protected under Malaysian securities laws.” So the order matters — check the registers first, pay second. The registers are listed in the next section.
Want to see what you can actually buy?
The rules are above; these are the actual homes. Each page lists the projects I am tracking, with published price ranges and the date each figure was checked. Tell me the area on WhatsApp and I will send the current list.
A decided case: a fake agent and a fake lawyer, KL High Court 2024
A judgment of the Kuala Lumpur High Court dated 22 January 2024 (reported on 11 February 2024) put several of these features in one place. A property agent, a person posing as a lawyer — described by the court as “Fraudulent Usha” — and a purchaser conspired against Firwas Sdn Bhd over a parcel of land, trying to force through a sale at RM40 million instead of the RM60 million that had been agreed.
- They collected RM6 million in deposits from the purchaser, and that money never reached the seller.
- They produced forged bank statements and a purchase agreement the sellers had never signed.
- They lodged a wrongful caveat on the title, tying the land up.
Judge Datuk Azimah Omar dismissed the claim as “obviously a fraudulent and sham claim”, ordered the caveat removed, awarded damages with 8% per annum interest on RM52.2 million, and RM100,000 in exemplary damages against each fraudster. The report does not give a law report citation, so I can describe the case but cannot hand you one to cite.
Three things to take from it. First, a caveat can be weaponised — seeing one on a title does not mean the person who lodged it has a genuine interest. Second, “the lawyer” may not be a lawyer; you can verify an advocate and solicitor through the Bar and ask to see a practising certificate. Third, deposits paid into the wrong hands never reach the seller, no matter what receipt you are given. Caveats and how they come off are covered in the caveat and perfection guide.
Buying new: how to check the developer and the project
On the new-property side, what you verify is the developer’s licence and the Advertising and Sale Permit (APDL). Both numbers are required to appear on the developer’s advertising in the first place, so a missing, mismatched or expired number is itself the finding.
| What to check | Body | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Private housing developments and developers | KPKT / Jabatan Perumahan Negara (TEDUH) | teduh.kpkt.gov.my/perumahan-swasta |
| Report a problem or abandoned project | KPKT (TEDUH) | teduh.kpkt.gov.my/pelaporan-bermasalah |
| Developers that have been issued warnings | KPKT (ehome) | ehome.kpkt.gov.my |
| Licence and permit information (Lesen & Permit PPW) | KPKT | kpkt.gov.my |
If a project does go wrong, the rescue mechanisms are set out in abandoned housing projects, and the developer warning signs you can verify for yourself are in developer pitfalls you can check.
Official checks and where to report: every link in one place
All of these are free and all are official. Save this section and spend ten minutes on it before money moves.
| Purpose | Body | URL or number |
|---|---|---|
| Verify a REN, REA, valuer or property manager | LPPEH (BOVAEP) | search.lppeh.gov.my, also lpeph.gov.my/search-listing |
| Check a developer or private housing project | KPKT / Jabatan Perumahan Negara (TEDUH) | teduh.kpkt.gov.my/perumahan-swasta |
| Report a problem or abandoned project | KPKT (TEDUH) | teduh.kpkt.gov.my/pelaporan-bermasalah |
| File a homebuyer claim up to RM50,000 | Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims (TTPR / TPPS) | kpkt.gov.my |
| Check an unauthorised financial entity, website or clone | Bank Negara Malaysia — Financial Consumer Alert List | bnm.gov.my |
| Check an unauthorised investment entity | Securities Commission — Investor Alert List | sc.com.my/investor-alert-list |
| Check before you invest | Securities Commission — Investment Checker | sc.com.my/investment-checker |
| Report a capital-market scam | Securities Commission | +603 6204 8999 (9am–6pm, Mon–Fri) |
| Check a bank account or phone number used by a scammer | PDRM CCID — Semak Mule | semakmule.rmp.gov.my |
| Report a scam in progress and ask for funds to be frozen | National Scam Response Centre | 997 |
| Report a scam website, number or online content | MCMC | aduan.mcmc.gov.my |
| Land fraud | Police report, private caveat (Form 19B, s.322 NLC), notify the Registrar of Titles | — |
What to do in the first 24 hours if you have been scammed
- Call 997 (the National Scam Response Centre) immediately so accounts and transactions can be frozen, and call your bank’s 24-hour line at the same time.
- Lodge a police report, handing over transfer records, chat logs, the original e-mails with full headers, receipts and the contract.
- Tell your solicitor and your bank. Where a title is involved, discuss lodging a private caveat (Form 19B) and notifying the Registrar of Titles.
- Run the accounts and phone numbers through Semak Mule and keep screenshots; report websites and social media content to MCMC.
How to read the scam numbers you see quoted
There is no official statistic for “property scams” as a category in Malaysia, so treat any headline figure for property fraud losses with suspicion about how it was assembled. Two sets of figures are citable, and each has to carry its period:
| Period | Total losses | Non-existent investments | Telecommunications fraud | Love scams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | RM1.57bn | RM848.62m | RM497.12m | RM45.87m |
| 2025 | RM2.97bn | RM1.46bn | RM802.47m | RM47.44m |
| Jan–May 2026 | RM830m | RM361.63m | RM235.63m | RM17.76m |
Those are all online scams, not property scams. The highest-loss states are Selangor (RM446.16 million in 2024, rising to RM986.79 million in 2025) and Kuala Lumpur. Since its creation in 2022, the NSRC has seized RM32.49 million, of which RM10.9 million has been returned to victims.
For land scams specifically, Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department reported 489 cases over the three years to May 2024 with losses of approximately RM300 million, including 74 cases and RM60.6 million in 2024 up to 19 May. Those figures are two years old and I found no 2025 or 2026 update — quote them as “as at May 2024”.
The checklist to run before you pay
- The agent’s REN or E number returns a match on the LPPEH register (or the QR code on the physical tag does), and the name and firm match the person in front of me.
- My own solicitor has run an official search (carian rasmi), and the registered proprietor’s name and IC match the seller’s documents.
- New property: the developer licence and APDL numbers appear on the advertising and check out on KPKT’s portals.
- The receiving account is a solicitor’s stakeholder account or a developer or agency company account — never an individual’s.
- Any instruction changing bank details has been confirmed by phone on a number I sourced myself.
- The receiving account number and contact number have been run through Semak Mule.
- Every promise — refund terms, furniture, repairs, handover date — is written into the contract or the receipt, not only in WhatsApp.
Related questions
The agent's firm looks big but the REN number returns nothing — should I carry on?
No. If the register does not return the number, the person is not registered as a negotiator, and you lose three protections at once: the board’s disciplinary reach, professional indemnity cover, and the regulated commission scale. Ask for the physical REN tag and scan its QR code; if it does not resolve to an official profile, or the name and firm do not match, use a different agent. Unregistered agency carries a fine of up to RM300,000.
What if the LPPEH website will not load?
It happens — when I tried on 23 September 2026 both lppeh.gov.my and lpeph.gov.my failed on certificate errors. There are three workarounds: scan the QR code on the physical REN tag, which resolves to the official profile; telephone the board directly; or ask for the E number and name of the registered estate agency the person works under and verify with that firm that they are employed there. A site being down is not a reason to skip the check.
The seller says the title is with the bank and only offers a photocopy of a search. Is that normal?
The original title being held by a bank is normal for a mortgaged property, but it has nothing to do with the search. A title search is an official record obtained from the Land Office and needs no cooperation from the seller. Have your solicitor obtain a carian rasmi directly, which will show the registered proprietor, the bank’s charge, any caveats and any restriction in interest. Insisting you rely on a photocopy or PDF is itself a reason to slow down.
The money has already gone — what can I do in the next few hours?
Call 997, the National Scam Response Centre, and your bank’s 24-hour line at once and ask for the receiving account and the transaction to be frozen; speed is the only variable that helps. Then lodge a police report with transfer records, chat logs, the original e-mails with full headers and receipts. Run the account and phone number through Semak Mule and keep screenshots. Where a title is involved, ask your solicitor about a private caveat (Form 19B).
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a property agent's REN number in Malaysia?
Use the LPPEH register at search.lppeh.gov.my (the board also serves a search at lpeph.gov.my/search-listing). Choose “Search for Negotiator” for a REN or “Search for Member” for a registered estate agent, and search by REN number, name, IC number or phone number. A REN number starts with REN and a registered estate agent’s with E. Also ask to see the physical red REN tag with its BOVAEP hologram, and scan the QR code yourself rather than accepting a photo of it.
What happens if an unregistered broker handles my property sale?
Acting as an estate agent without registration is an offence under the Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Act 1981, carrying a fine of up to RM300,000, imprisonment of up to 3 years, or both. The practical risk to you is that the person is outside the board’s disciplinary reach, carries no professional indemnity cover, and is very hard to recover from if things go wrong. Only a registered estate agent, or a firm headed by one, may lawfully charge commission, capped at 3% of the price on a sale.
Do I need a title search before paying a deposit, and can I use the one the agent sent me?
You need one, and it has to be yours. A search PDF or photo forwarded by the agent or the “owner” has no value because it is easily altered. Have your own solicitor obtain an official search (carian rasmi, bearing the Land Registrar’s stamp), then match the registered proprietor’s name and IC number against the seller’s original identity documents, and check the charges, caveats and restrictions in interest shown on it.
The law firm emailed to say its bank account has changed — what should I do?
Stop and do not transfer. This is the classic payment-diversion attack; Malaysian Bar Circular No 137/2014 records a firm being scammed into releasing client money after a fraudster hacked e-mail accounts and impersonated the client. Telephone the firm on a number you sourced yourself — your engagement letter, the number you noted on your first visit, or the official website — and read the account number back digit by digit. Never use a number from the e-mail. Confirm first, then transfer, then get a receipt.
I paid a rental deposit and the agent disappeared. Where do I report it?
Call 997, the National Scam Response Centre, straight away so accounts can be frozen, and call your bank at the same time. Then lodge a police report with your transfer records, chat logs, listing screenshots and receipts. Scam websites and social media content go to MCMC at aduan.mcmc.gov.my. Prevention works better: deal only with agents who appear on the LPPEH register, pay into a company account, insist on a stamped tenancy agreement and official receipts, and check the account on Semak Mule first.
What is Semak Mule and what can I check on it?
Semak Mule is the official platform built by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysia Police, which lets the public check a bank account number or a phone number against reports linked to commercial crime cases before a transaction. It is at semakmule.rmp.gov.my. A clean result does not prove the account is safe, but a hit is a clear stop signal. Spend a minute on it before any deposit or balance payment.
How much do Malaysians lose to property scams each year?
That figure does not exist — Malaysia has no official statistical category for property scams. Two adjacent sets of numbers are citable. A Home Ministry parliamentary reply reported on 24 June 2026 puts losses from all online scams at RM1.57bn in 2024, RM2.97bn in 2025 and RM830m for January to May 2026. Separately, Bukit Aman’s CCID reported 489 land scam cases with losses of about RM300 million over the three years to May 2024. The two must not be mixed.
Sources & verification
- LPPEH / BOVAEP — register search (Search for Member / Search for Negotiator)
- LPPEH / BOVAEP — alternate register search listing
- Hartamas Real Estate — How to check if a Malaysian real estate agent is real (5-step guide, 2025)
- Sang & Associates — Is an illegal broker a real estate agent? (15 Feb 2024)
- iProperty.com.my — How to conduct a land title search in Malaysia (updated 4 Jan 2024)
- Y Kong, Wong & Partners — What to do if you suspect land fraud in Malaysia (11 Sep 2025)
- Thomas Philip — Landowners beware: a tale of indefeasibility (Tan Ying Hong, s.340 NLC) (29 Oct 2020)
- Malaysian Bar — Public beware: fake law firm (22 Oct 2006)
- Malaysian Bar — Circular No 137/2014: firm scammed into releasing client money after e-mail impersonation (1 Jul 2014)
- Malaysian Bar — Circulars relating to conveyancing practice (incl. 103/2016 scam alert, 158/2017 fraud alert, 179/2012 forged stamp duty acknowledgment)
- Malay Mail — FOMCA warns of surge in fake rental agent scams (18 Nov 2024)
- Malay Mail — KL High Court on a fraudulent property agent and fake lawyer (11 Feb 2024)
- Securities Commission Malaysia — Beware of scams
- Securities Commission Malaysia — Investor Alert List
- Bank Negara Malaysia — Financial Consumer Alert List
- Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) — Semak Mule CCID, PDRM (22 Jun 2026)
- PDRM CCID — Semak Mule (check a bank account or phone number)
- KPKT / Jabatan Perumahan Negara — TEDUH, private housing developments
- KPKT ehome — Peringatan Kepada Pengguna (developers issued warnings)
- Malay Mail — Online scam losses in 2025, Home Ministry parliamentary reply (24 Jun 2026)
- The Star — Bukit Aman CCID: nearly 500 land scam cases over three years (28 May 2024)
- MCMC — lodge a complaint (aduan)
Verified: 2026-09-20. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and rates change — confirm in writing with your lawyer, bank or the relevant authority before you sign.
More in this stage
Louis Koh
11 years in Malaysian property · Johor Bahru & Kuala Lumpur · English & 中文
I help local buyers and cross-border buyers from Singapore with new and subsale property. Every figure in these guides is sourced; when a rule changes, I update the page and date it.
Stuck on this step? Ask me directly
Send me your situation — new or subsale, budget, state, and where you are in the process — and I will tell you what to do next and what to watch for.
I'll check an agent's REN or E number and the firm they work under, or a developer's licence and APDL number, for free — and send you the checks to run, in order, before you pay anything.
Louis Koh · 11 years in Malaysian property · +60 10-906 6685 · replies 9am–10pm MYT