Malaysian police warn of scam posts sharing false recruitment ads

Malaysian police have warned TikTok users not to fall for scam posts sharing purported recruitment advertisements for the force, which it said were "fake". The false posts racked up thousands of views and directed social media users to websites that asked for their personal information.

"Open Interview for the Royal Malaysia Police Across Malaysia," reads a Malay-language advertisement shared on TikTok on June 30, 2024, where it was viewed more than 22,000 times.

The purported ad shows uniformed police officers and included the official emblem of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and claims interviews will take place across the Southeast Asian country on July 5, 6 and 9.

The TikTok post urged users to "apply at the link in bio"; the link leads to a website that asks people to enter their full name and phone number.

Similar false recruitment ads circulated elsewhere on TikTok here, here and here, where they racked up more than 100,000 views.

The purported job opportunities also appeared on Facebook here, here and here.

But keyword searches on Google led to a Facebook post by the recruitment unit of the Malaysian police force on July 2 that warned the offers were fake (archived link).

"Don't be fooled: False advertisements about job offers in PDRM," read the Malay-language post.

"Untrue and false information about recruitment for the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has been spread by irresponsible parties," the post continued.

It also included links to the TikTok accounts spreading the fabricated recruitment ads, and screenshots of the scam posts that it covered with labels that read "fake".

The police force said it only posted recruitment advertisements on its official social media channels under the name "Unit Pengambilan Polis Diraja Malaysia", including on Facebook, Instagram and Telegram (archived links here, here and here).

Moreover, AFP found the links provided in the false posts where users could "apply" for the purported job interviews were not affiliated with PDRM.

One imposter website claims that by registering their personal information, users will get an opportunity to work with the Malaysian government, earning a salary of up to 12,000 ringgit ($2,548).

Below is a screenshot comparison of the imposter website (left) and the official recruitment website of the Malaysian police (right):

AFP has debunked similar scam posts that ask for users' personal information, such as those impersonating government aid schemes, here and here.