KUALA LUMPUR: An 80-year-old retired lecturer has misplaced about RM2.6mil to a Macau Rip-off.
Kuala Lumpur Business Crime Investigation Division (CCID) deputy chief Supt Tan Poh Cheok stated the lady acquired a name from a scammer who posed as a Telekom Malaysia officer on Oct 1.
“The scammer instructed her {that a} cellphone line beneath her identify was getting used for unlawful playing and cash laundering. She was then instructed to make a couple of transfers amounting to RM730,000,” she stated in a press release on Friday (Nov 5).
Supt Tan stated that the sufferer was additionally instructed handy over particulars of her ATM card,
“She found there was an unauthorised transaction of RM1,877,000. After realising that she has been duped, the sufferer lodged a report on Tuesday (Nov 2). We’re investigating beneath Part 420 of the Penal Code for dishonest,” she added.
Supt Tan suggested the general public to be cautious and follow numerous methods to keep away from being victims of Macau scams, together with getting full particulars of an investigation if any officer from a division or entity referred to as them.
“Get the identify and rank of the caller and their place of business. Name the identical company again by way of its official cellphone line. By no means expose checking account particulars to any third get together,” she stated.
Supt Tan urged these with data on any crime or suspicious exercise to contact the KL police hotline at 03-2146 0584/ 0585 or any nearest police station.
Macau Scams typically begin with a cellphone name from somebody pretending to be an officer from a financial institution, authorities or legislation enforcement company or debt collector.
The scammer will then declare that the potential sufferer owes cash or has an unpaid positive, typically with a really quick window of lower than an hour, to settle the fee or face “dire penalties”.
These unsuspecting victims will then be requested to make funds to get them off the hook.
