Housewife cheated of RM34,150 for shoes

KUANTAN: A housewife lost RM34,150 after she was conned into making several payments to get a pair of shoes sent by a social media friend.
Pahang Commercial Criminal Investigation Department chief Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said the 57-year-old victim from Tembangau, Bera, claimed she met a man named Mohd Kadir Ibrahim through Facebook on March 29.
She said the man informed her he had sent her a pair of shoes and on April 9, she received a call from a woman who asked her to pay RM3,900 for delivery charges from Kuala Lumpur to Bera.
"The woman contacted the victim again on the same day, saying she had to pay the Goods and Services Tax (GST) amounting to RM7,900 as there was supposedly cash of US$300,000 (RM1.16 million) in the package containing the shoes.
"After she banked in the money, on April 10, the victim was told she had to pay RM22,350 for other taxes," he told reporters here today.
Mohd Wazir added the victim realised she had been cheated after she failed to contact her social media friend, and she then lodged a police report at the Bera District Police Headquarters yesterday.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail sentence of up to 10 years and caning, as well as a fine, if found guilty.
In a separate development, Mohd Wazir confirmed the arrest of a man, 27, in a house in the Kempadang 2 Housing area here today, on suspicion of conducting money-lending activities without a licence.
"Police also confiscated 109,314 loan leaflets with three telephone numbers printed on them in a bedroom in the house," he said.
Mohd Wazir added the suspect who was from Kulai, Johor, was currently detained at the Kuantan District Police Headquarters for further investigations. — Bernama