KUALA TERENGGANU: A senior citizen lost RM88,000 in savings after falling victim to a phone scam syndicate involving individuals posing as a police sergeant and a public prosecutor.
Kuala Terengganu police chief Assistant Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor said the 75-year-old male victim lodged a police report at the Kuala Terengganu police station at 9.01pm last night.
He said that around 10am on Dec 2, while the victim was at home, he received a phone call from an unknown number.
“During the call, a man introduced himself as Sergeant Razak from the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters and alleged that the victim was involved in a money laundering case,” he said.
Azli added that the call was later transferred to another individual who claimed to be a deputy public prosecutor named Rosnah Bakar.
“The victim was then told that the case and investigation into his savings could supposedly be settled,” he said.
According to him, deceived by the syndicate’s tactics, the victim made seven bank transactions to different accounts between Dec 4 and 18.
“The victim was also instructed to tear up the transaction receipts. After making the final payment, he later shared the incident with his wife,” he said.
The couple subsequently went to the police station to lodge a report, with total losses estimated at RM88,000.
Azli said the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. He added that the funds involved comprised RM38,000 from the victim’s Tabung Haji savings and RM50,000 from his wife’s personal savings.
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