Retiree loses RM30,000 in Macau scam

KUANTAN: A retired factory worker lost RM30,000 after being duped via a telephone call from a man who alleged he was involved in money laundering and drug trafficking yesterday.
Pahang Commercial CID chief Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said the 57-year-old victim from Padang Tengku, Lipis, received a call from the suspect who posed as a bank officer.
"The suspect claimed that the victim has an outstanding personal loan which the victim denied. He was then put through to an alleged policeman who accused him of being involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.
"The call was then connected to another suspect posing as an investigating officer who offered assistance in resolving the case by transferring money from his accounts in case his accounts were frozen," he told reporters here yesterday.
He said the victim later made a RM30,000 cash transfer into the suspect's account but realised that he was being cheated after the suspect asked for an additional RM30,000.
Subsequently, a report was lodged at Lipis District Police Headquarters yesterday and the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, imprisonment and fine upon conviction.
Meanwhile, a bank officer also received the same fate after being deceived by an offer of fake personal loan offered via Whatsapp resulting in a loss of RM1,960.
The 38-year-old victim had accepted the offer on Oct 15 before agreeing to make a loan of RM30,000 on an instalment of RM356.90 per month for 10 years.
Mohd Wazir said the bank officer had made four money transfers amounting to RM1,960 into the account of the suspect to allegedly pay the processing fee before being asked to pay an additional fee of RM2,178 allegedly for insurance.
The suspect, who became suspicious, cancelled his intention to take the loan and asked the suspect to return the money he had paid.
Mohd Wazir said the victim had lodged a police report at IPD Lipis yesterday after efforts to contact the suspect failed. — Bernama