Lecturer Loses RM331,000 To Phone Scam

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- A lecturer claimed she lost RM331,000 after being deceived by a 'phone scam' syndicate, on May 9.

South Johor Bahru district police chief ACP Raub Selamat said the 49-year-old woman received a call from a man masquerading as a ‘Central Database Hub (PADU) officer who informed her that she had received assistance amounting to RM1,200.

He said the victim then received a call from a man posing as an officer from the Perak police contingent headquarters (IPK) and stated that she was allegedly involved in money laundering, but the victim denied it. 

"After that, the victim received a call from someone with the title 'Datuk' who pretended to be an officer from the same IPK and instructed her to transfer money for security purposes, while the investigation was carried out.

"The victim made 13 transactions to several local accounts amounting to RM331,000 from June 9 to July 26," he said in a statement today.

Raub said the victim tried to contact the suspect after the payment was made but found that the line had been blocked and suspected that she had been duped before making a police report yesterday.

Meanwhile, Seri Alam district police chief Supt Mohd Sohaimi Ishak in a separate statement said a couple claimed a loss of RM120,000 after being tricked by a call from an individual posing as a policeman, on July 17.

Mohd Sohaimi said the 56-year-old couple received a phone call from an individual posing as a member of the Money Laundering Crime Investigation Unit (AMLA), claiming that their bank accounts were involved in scam activities.

He said the two private sector retirees who believed the allegations made 17 transactions through automated teller machines to three different accounts totalling RM120,000, on Monday.

"The payment was for financial audit verification, but the line number was blocked when all the transactions were made, causing the victim to realise that they had been cheated before making a police report, yesterday," he said.

Both cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

-- BERNAMA