Company manager loses RM132,900 to Macau Scam

KUALA LUMPUR: A human resource manager lost RM132,900 to a Macau scam syndicate after being duped by a syndicate member for allegedly obtaining an extra supply of medicines at a community clinic.

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department head ACP Mohd Mahidisham Ishak said the woman who was working in the private company received a call from a man who claimed to be a Health Ministry official from the Medicines Supply Enforcement Division on April 18.

"The victim was asked whether she had obtained an extra supply of drugs such as panadol, painkillers, cough medicine and flu medicine at a community clinic.

"The victim denied the allegation but the call was then connected to another man who claimed to be a police officer who told the victim that there was a record of her being involved in money laundering," he said in a statement today.

Mohd Mahidisham said the 47-year-old victim also thought that if she did not confess to the alleged offences, an arrest warrant would be issued against her.

He said that the victim panicked and made money transfers five times into the same account from April 22 to 26 amounting to RM132,900.

He added that the suspect also asked the victim to wait for the results of the investigation and on April 30, she received a phone call and was asked to make an additional payment.

"Realised that she had been cheated, the victim lodged a police report on the same day (April 30) and the suspect is now being tracked down. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating," he said.

Mohd Mahidisham also advised the public to check bank accounts or suspicious telephone numbers through the website http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule and to report any crime or suspicious activity to contact the Kuala Lumpur Police hotline at 03-2146 0584/0585 or a nearby police station.

-- BERNAMA