University lecturer loses RM1.3 million to Macau Scam syndicate

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the 41-year-old woman fell victim to a phone call in which one individual posed as a Health Ministry staff.

He said the individual on the line claimed that the victim was involved in forging the COVID-19 report in Sabah, before the call was connected to a Sabah police officer, who then stated the victim was involved in money laundering and drug activities.

"After the victim denied the allegations, she was instructed by the inspector to open a new bank account and submit the password and register the phone number given by the inspector to receive a Transaction Authorisation Code (TAC).

"The victim transferred the money as instructed between Oct 17, 2022, and Nov 25, 2022, supposedly to ensure her savings remained safe pending investigations," he said at a press conference here today.

The victim only realised that she had been deceived after all the money was transferred from her bank account to several unknown accounts in early January.

Kamarul Zaman said the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

In a separate case, he said the police arrested six local men, one local woman, and one foreign woman, aged between 27 and 68, believed to be members of an unlicensed money lending syndicate, in Kuala Lumpur, last Wednesday.

He said initial investigations revealed that they received RM800 in wages to commit mischief by spraying victims' houses or vehicles with fire and paint, advertising loan offers on Facebook, and targetted Malaysian workers in Singapore as victims.

The eight suspects have been remanded for six days and the case is being investigated under sections 427, 435, and 436 of the Penal Code.