Scammers attempt to clone local Feng Shui consultant’s…

On July 14, 2026, a local Feng Shui consultant named Alex Ling became the target of an AI voice-cloning scam designed to solicit money from his acquaintances. The incident, which was later highlighted at a press conference by SUPP Public Complaints Bureau Chief Milton Foo, involved a scammer posing as Ling to request RM4,500 for a purported medical emergency.

What happened

The scam began when a mutual friend of Ling and Foo received a call from an individual using a voice that sounded similar to Ling's. The caller claimed to urgently need funds for a relative's medical operation. The friend, feeling suspicious, contacted Foo, who advised him to engage the caller to determine if the requested bank account belonged to Ling or a third party. When the scammer called back, the friend recorded the conversation. Ling later estimated the voice synthesis to be approximately 50 to 60 percent accurate, noting that while it was not a perfect match, it remained convincing enough to potentially deceive those who do not know him well.

This incident is part of a broader trend, as it marks the third voice-cloning case reported to the SUPP Public Complaints Bureau in two weeks. Foo warned that scammers are leveraging publicly available audio from social media and media broadcasts to train AI models. To counter such threats, experts advise individuals to maintain composure during high-pressure calls, verify the identity of the caller through face-to-face contact, and scrutinize bank account names to ensure they align with the expected recipient. Ling has since filed a formal police report to protect his professional reputation and clarify that he does not solicit funds from his clients or friends.