KUCHING: An architect of a private company here lost RM121,000 to a Macau scam syndicate that supposedly helped him settle his financial issue.

Sarawak police commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said the 35-year-old man lodged a police report yesterday upon realising he had been duped by the syndicate that started contacting him from March 1.

"The victim received a telephone call on March 1 from a man who introduced himself as Mohd Rizuan from the Langkawi Court saying that he (victim) was involved in a money laundering case," he said in a statement today.

When the victim denied his involvement, the call was transferred to another suspect claiming to be a Sergeant Farah from the Langkawi police station who offered to help the victim lodge a report denying the allegation but on condition the victim made payments for the audit and investigation.

"The victim was then contacted by several individuals via telephone to make the payments. The victim proceeded to make a total of 11 transactions amounting to RM121,000 into four different bank accounts under the names of different individuals between March 1 and April 12," said Mohd Azman.

According to him, the victim realised he had been cheated when the suspects' contact numbers could not be reached after he (victim) had made the payments.

-- BERNAMA