PONTIAN: A 44-year-old teacher lost RM181,000 after falling victim to an online scam syndicate involving fraudsters impersonating insurance agents and police officers.
Pontian district police chief Superintendent Mohammad Shofee Tayib said the victim received a call in early January from someone claiming to represent an insurance company.
“The scammer told the victim her name was used in a false claim at a private hospital in Ampang.
“She was then contacted by another scammer posing as a police officer, who claimed that she was linked to 17 criminal cases, including involvement in a money laundering syndicate.
“In a state of panic and fear, the victim was instructed to make several payments to supposedly resolve the case.
“She ended up transferring RM181,000 through seven transactions to accounts provided by the scammers,” he said in a statement today.
Shofee added that the victim began to grow suspicious after reading news about similar scams.
“She then informed her husband, and together they verified the details, eventually realising it was a scam. The victim lodged a police report last Friday,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Shofee advised the public to stay vigilant and informed about common tactics and methods used in commercial crimes, particularly phone and online scams, to avoid falling prey and suffering significant financial losses.
Victims are urged to act quickly by contacting the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 to block any suspicious fund transfers from being completed.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
