PETALING JAYA, Jan 24 — Forty-five homeowners and business operators suffered losses totalling RM8.5 million in electricity charges after their tenants allegedly stole their identities to carry out illegal Bitcoin mining.
According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), the victims said they were unaware of the illicit activities until they received notices from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), leaving many financially burdened and emotionally distressed.
At a press conference today, they expressed their frustrations and raised concerns over the situation.
KC Teo, 57, who uses a wheelchair, told FMT that he now faces a staggering RM300,000 electricity bill after learning his tenant had rented his house under a false identity.
Teo, who depends on rental income for his livelihood, said he has since uncovered the tenant’s real identity but remains liable to pay the charges. He expressed frustration, questioning why TNB is holding him accountable instead of pursuing the tenant, as he claims he is not at fault.
Several victims shared their experiences of fraudulent electricity bills linked to illegal Bitcoin mining.
Ganeson, one of the affected landlords, only found out about the RM73,000 bill after a call from TNB. Although he has paid RM70,000, he argued that landlords shouldn’t bear the responsibility for such scams.
Another victim, Tom, revealed that fraudsters used fake Companies Commission of Malaysia documents to register 10 TNB accounts under his business, resulting in RM700,000 in unpaid bills.
Meanwhile, Loo discovered in April 2024 that her MyKad had been misused to rent a shoplot for Bitcoin mining, leaving her with a RM196,000 bill.
“I have never been to that place. I got a call from TNB. I then found out that my ‘tenants’ rented a shoplot using my MyKad and used a fake stamping certificate and tenancy agreement.
“They used my identity to rent the place to run bitcoin activities and all TNB could do was offer me the option to pay in instalments,” she was quoted as saying.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung called on TNB to establish a task force to investigate illegal Bitcoin mining.
Speaking at a press conference, he told FMT that TNB should evaluate these cases on their merits rather than simply offering instalment plans to victims.
Lee, who plans to raise the issue in Parliament, emphasised the need for fairness and shared accountability among property owners, tenants, and electricity suppliers.
