The British High Commission recognises that scammers have targeted Brunei using various methods; email, SMS and links from websites. We have recently been made aware of an internet-based scam targeting Bruneian companies and individuals in Brunei with offers of bogus loans purporting to originate from reputable UK based financial service companies.

The scam promises large cash loans at an attractive rate of interest, over a long repayment period. The loan process appears to progress as one would expect, with email copies of official looking documentation being sent to the applicant to apparently confirm that the monies have been approved. However a problem then appears with the transfer of the cash and a payment of a certain sum of money as a processing fee through Western Union or other similar money transfer centres is requested. On receipt of this first payment the scammers then bring up more problems with the money transfer and request more and more payments before the applicant becomes suspicious and calls the authorities.  

Please do not send such organisations any monies or personal details, and please advise your families, friends, colleagues and business associates to beware of this scam. Members of the public can search for legitimate UK registered companies by visiting the Companies House website.

Many scammers pretend to represent British companies in an effort to sound respectable and convincing but in fact operate out of a third country and have nothing to do with Britain.

We suggest you report any such approach or communication to your local Royal Brunei Police Force station as fraud.

Back to newsroom

Back to top