MORE than 50 people are believed to have been duped in an alleged multimillion-ringgit scam involving offers of below-market-price houses and cars purportedly linked to Selangor royalty, with police opening two investigation papers.
Actor Dwan Hamid, 34, whose real name is Muhammad Ridzuan Shahul Hamid, said he lost RM30,000 after believing a man who claimed to have close connections to the Selangor royal household and its aide-de-camp (ADC).
He told Harian Metro that he first met the man in 2023 and was persuaded by photographs he was shown of the suspect with members of the royal household and the ADC.
Dwan said the man later offered houses in Setapak, near the Road Transport Department, for RM115,000 each, claiming there was a special allocation of 20 to 30 units associated with the royal household.
Buyers were allegedly required to pay a deposit of RM15,000 per unit.
“I initially had my doubts, but when he showed me photographs with people he said were connected to the royal household, I believed the offer was genuine,” he said.
Dwan said he paid RM30,000 in deposits for two units but received no updates after waiting for an extended period. His requests for a refund were allegedly ignored.
He later learnt that others had reportedly suffered similar losses, including his cousin, who allegedly lost about RM100,000.
After sharing the allegations on social media, more people came forward, prompting Dwan and another individual to set up a WhatsApp group to gather information from those claiming to have been affected.
Based on information collected by the group, more than 50 people may have been affected, with reported losses ranging from about RM13,000 to RM7 million. The alleged victims were from Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis, Kedah and Perak, and some had lodged police reports.
Dwan said some victims were reluctant to speak out because of the royal connection claimed by the man, while others alleged they had received threats.
He lodged a police report at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters before the case was referred to the Wangsa Maju district police headquarters.
He urged authorities to investigate whether the man genuinely had the connections he claimed or had invoked the royal household’s name to gain victims’ trust.
“I just want to recover my money and ensure this does not continue until more people become victims,” he said.
Wangsa Maju district police chief Assistant Commissioner Annas Sulaiman confirmed that a report had been received and two investigation papers had been opened under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which concerns cheating. - October 16, 2026