Public Advisory: Fraudulent Procurement Schemes, Forged Government Purchase Orders, and Unauthorised “Sub-Order” Payment Demands Impersonating MATRADE Officials.

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) alerts the business community and the public regarding fraudulent activities by unscrupulous individuals impersonating MATRADE personnel via email and WhatsApp.

These perpetrators target vendors under the pretext of procuring urgent services for overseas trade delegations, booth translation services for international exhibitions and corporate recreational events. Under this guise, businesses are solicited for sensitive documentation—including company profiles, SSM registration certificates, bank statements and Ministry of Finance (MOF) certificates—which are subsequently used to fabricate fraudulent Letters of Award (LOA) and Government Purchase Orders.

Emergence of ‘Sub-Order’ Advance Payment Scams

MATRADE has received alarming reports that several companies have fallen victim to this syndicate and suffered financial losses by making upfront payments to third-party suppliers or designated ‘sub-orders’. Under this deceptive tactic, scammers instruct awarded vendors to immediately purchase merchandise gift supplies from an appointed sub-vendor to fulfill contract specifications before government disbursement. These third-party entities are fraudulent shell accounts operated directly by the syndicate.

Rigorous Enforcement Measures

MATRADE views this breach with the utmost gravity. Formal police reports have been lodged, alongside filings with Cyber Security Malaysia and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for comprehensive digital forensics and enforcement.

Precautionary Guidelines for Businesses and the Public

Businesses are advised to exercise vigilance and take note of the following:

• Official Communication Channels: MATRADE officers communicate strictly via official corporate email addresses ending with @matrade.gov.my. MATRADE does not conduct procurement negotiations through commercial email providers (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo) or personal messaging platforms. For instance, deceptive emails deployed by the syndicate have been identified using addresses such as [email protected]. and [email protected].

• Adherence to Treasury Regulations: All procurement exercises comply strictly with Malaysian Treasury Circulars (Pekeliling Perbendaharaan) and are executed via formal, authorised government procurement channels. MATRADE never requires vendors to deposit advances or settle external invoices with third-party sub-contractors.

• Verification Protocol: Do not disclose confidential financial or operational data without independent verification.

Emergency Protocol: Steps to Take if Scammed

If your company has fallen victim to this scheme and transferred funds to a fraudulent party or sub-order account:

1. Call 997 immediately (National Scam Response Centre – NSRC) to enable rapid tracing and the freeze of illicit banking transactions.
2. Lodge an immediate police report at the nearest police station, providing all transaction records, forged documents, and chat transcripts for formal criminal investigations.

MATRADE takes any form of fraud involving the agency’s name seriously and will take the necessary actions to protect the interests of exporters and the public. For inquiries or to verify the authenticity of any procurement solicitation claiming to originate from MATRADE, contact us directly at +603-6207 7077 or via email at [email protected].