PETALING JAYA: Two men who allegedly fleeced a 90-year-old woman into parting with almost RM4 million in a telephone scam were arrested by police last week.
The local suspects, aged 36 and 43 and part of a Macau scam syndicate, were arrested at a restaurant in Shah Alam on Sept 3.
Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said yesterday the victim had received a call purportedly from courier company Poslaju and was told there was a package sent from Ipoh which was bound for Sabah.
He said the caller told the retiree the package contained an identity card and a bank card that had her name on it.
Nik Ezanee said the caller then transfered the call to a “Sergeant Ho Mum Foo” and his superior “Inspector Herman Lee” who were purportedly personnel from the Perak commercial crimes investigations department.
“The victim was accused of being involved in money-laundering activities by the duo. They said her particulars were used by a 72-year-old former Maybank staff who had purportedly been arrested by police. The victim was then threatened with arrest and detention for 45 days if she confided in anyone about the case,” he said.
Nik Ezanee said out of fear, the woman followed the scammers orders and was given several bank account numbers.
She transfered her savings amounting to RM3.83 million into seven different business accounts in several transactions between April 20 and June 15 this year. After she realised she had been cheated, she lodged a police report.
Read this story on our iPaper: Suspects in scamming of 90-year-old woman of RM4m arrested
