Senior citizen loses over RM400,000 to scammers

KUALA LUMPUR: A senior citizen claimed to have suffered RM444,934 in losses after being duped by a Macau Scam syndicate.

Petaling Jaya District Police Chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said the 79-year-old female victim had received a call allegedly from the Poslaju Malaysia Headquarters saying there was a package sent to Sabah containing an identity card and bank card in the victim's name.

"On July 5, the victim received a WhatsApp message from a man named Chong who said the victim had received a sum of RM148,000 which was put into his account from Chang Poon Siew.

"The victim was then connected to the Sabah Contingent Police Headquarters (IPK) and spoke to an individual known as Inspector Zaki, who accused her of committing an offence and would arrest her for further investigation," he said in a statement today.

He said out of fear of the threat, the victim followed all the suspect's instructions by transferring her savings to the account given by the suspect supposedly for police investigation.

"The first transaction on Aug 6 amounted to RM29,934 while the second and third transactions were done on Aug 17 and 24, where the victim deposited two checks worth RM100,000 and RM315,000 into the account of the second suspect," he said.

Nik Ezanee said on Sept 29 (yesterday) while at the bank the victim was asked by the bank officer the reason for transferring a large sum of money, the victim began to narrate the incident and the officer told her she had been duped.

The victim later lodged a police report on the same day and the case was investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years with whipping and fine.

-- BERNAMA