Kuala Lumpur / Singapore, 7 November 2025 – Dozens of people in Malaysia and Singapore have been victims of a jewellery scam involving a Malaysian influencer who sold what she claimed were genuine diamonds but turned out to be lab-grown imitations.
At least 30 individuals have filed complaints, collectively losing about RM 1 million (US$239,569) since 2023, after purchasing jewellery and “good fortune” trinkets touted as real diamonds. The victims brought the pieces for laboratory analysis and discovered they were lab-grown diamonds, contrary to what they were led to believe.
In addition to the diamond products, the influencer also promoted cosmetics allegedly “chemical-free,” which for some victims were later found to contain mercury. A lawyer representing the group of victims noted that Polis Diraja Malaysia reports had been lodged nationwide, and there were also 3-4 reports from Singapore involving Singaporean victims.
Key Issues & Takeaways
- The scam leverages influencer marketing and social-media trust, where customers assume endorsements equate to authenticity and compliance.
- The use of the term “diamond” without clear disclosure of origin (lab-grown vs mined) proved misleading, violating standards of transparency and consumer protection.
- The cosmetics angle highlights how cross-selling of luxury items and beauty products can widen the scope of fraud beyond a single category.
- The cross-border nature (Malaysia & Singapore) underscores the broader risk for regional consumers when influencers target affluent audiences with low regulatory visibility.
What to Watch
- Regulatory response: Authorities in Malaysia and Singapore may pursue tighter regulation of influencer promotions and labelling requirements for jewellery and cosmetics.
- Consumer vigilance: Buyers of high-value items via social media must verify credentials, request lab reports and confirm authenticity from independent sources.
- Platform accountability: Social-media platforms and e-commerce channels may face pressure to enforce stricter rules on influencers’ claims, endorsements and third-party verification.
- Recovery prospects: Victims should check if class-action or collective-redress mechanisms emerge and monitor how enforcement and restitution are handled.
