Ice-cube distributor cheated of RM1.46m in internet scam

GEORGE TOWN: An ice-cube distributor thought his financial worries were over when he received an email in March notifying him that the USA's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had selected him to receive Pound Sterling amounting to 15.9 million.

The man in his 60s then replied the email and was instructed to bank in some money to an account if he wanted to claim the monies.

This went on until he deposited some RM1.46 million over 51 transactions and thereafter lodged a police report on June 19 after suspecting something was amiss.

Subsequently, police detained five Nigerian nationals and two Malaysian women over the scam in several raids on June 30.

Penang Commercial Crime chief ACP Azmi Adam said the suspects who were nabbed in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on June 30 were aged between 22 to 52.

He said police also seized ATM cards, laptops, mobile phones, pen drives, SIM cards, modems and various documents.

He said police believed there could be more victims of the syndicate and urged them to lodge police reports.

"The case is being investigated for cheating under the Penal Code," he said at a press conference today.