BUKIT MERTAJAM: A businessman lost RM163,550 in a week after being deceived by a Macau scam syndicate which claimed he was involved in a criminal case, said Seberang Perai Tengah police chief, Supt Mohd Mustafa Bidin today.
He said the trader in his 60’s lodged a police report yesterday when he became aware that he had been duped after remitting money into two bank accounts provided by the syndicate between Aug 7 and 14 to avoid arrest by police.
“It began with the victim receiving a telephone call from a man claiming to be a Kuala Lumpur Health Department officer on Aug 7 and said the trader had bought 20 sleeping pills which is an offence,” he said here.
After that the call was connected to another man who introduced himself as a sergeant from Bukit Aman who alleged the victim was wanted by police for being involved in a criminal case.
“The individual claimed the victim’s bank accounts would be frozen and he would be detained by the police if the victim refused to transfer his money in his bank account to the accounts given by them,” he said.
Fearful of the threat, the victim started to remit RM24,000 into the accounts before making several more transfers totalling RM163,550 until Aug 14.
“The victim was only aware he had been duped after the individual who claimed himself as police sergeant could not be contacted and on checking he was not wanted by police as alleged,” he said.
Following the police report lodged by the victim, Mohd Mustafa said investigations had started under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud and police are checking the owners of the accounts used by the syndicate. — Bernama
