Jasin district police chief DSP Ahmad Jamil Radzi said the 50-year-old victim, a former secretary of a private company, was drawn to the investment scheme offered by a syndicate and clicked on the link provided, which led her to WhatsApp to get in touch with the suspect.
"The woman received an explanation regarding the investment packages available and was asked to pay a registration fee of RM1,235 to join the scheme.
"After registering, the syndicate informed her that she had made RM8,000 in investment returns, which encouraged her to invest more for higher profits," he said in a statement today.
Ahmad Jamil said the victim subsequently withdrew her Employee Provident Fund (EPF) savings accumulated over 20 years and made several transfers to five different bank accounts belonging to various individuals, amounting to RM82,175 since last July.
He added that the victim realised she had been deceived when she could not withdraw the promised returns and was instead asked to pay an extra RM20,000 as a withdrawal tax.
The victim later lodged a report at Jasin Police Station, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 for cheating.
-- BERNAMA
