KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) has alerted the business community and the public to fraudulent activities by individuals impersonating its personnel via email and WhatsApp.

Matrade said the perpetrators targeted vendors under the pretext of procuring urgent services for overseas trade delegations, booth translation services for international exhibitions, and corporate recreational events.

It said that under this guise, businesses were asked to provide sensitive documents, including company profiles, Companies Commission of Malaysia registration certificates, bank statements and Ministry of Finance certificates, which were subsequently used to fabricate fraudulent letters of award and government purchase orders.