Govt retiree loses RM20,000 in Macau scam

IPOH: A government retiree in Teluk Intan lost his hard-earned savings of RM20,000 to members of a Macau scam syndicate last week.

Hilir Perak district police chief Ahmad Adnan Basri said the 76-year-old man received a call from an individual claiming to be from Kuala Lumpur General Post Office on June 14.

"The suspect claimed that the victim had a package to be sent to Sabah containing his identity card and five pieces of ATM cards from various banks.

"After the victim denied the allegations, the call was purportedly connected to Sabah police contingent headquarters for the victim to lodge a police report. The call was then connected to the court alleging the complainant involved in money laundering," he said in a statement today.

Ahmad Adnan said the victim was contacted again on June 16 by a syndicate member who asked him to transfer money into a bank account provided for investigation purposes.

The victim then transferred the money into the provided bank account at the bank's branch in Teluk Intan as told, to avoid his account from being frozen by Bank Negara.

"The victim tried contacting the suspect but failed. By then he realised that he has been deceived. He then lodged a report at Teluk Intan police station yesterday," Ahmad Adnan said.

-- BERNAMA