DPM: 4,673 women fell victims to love scams over last three years

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 4,673 love-lorn women here were duped into parting with RM182.3mil after falling victims to online love scams over the last three years.

The number of women duped by such scams may be much higher as victims feared shame and ridicule if they came forward, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“There are some Malaysian women who fall in love easily.

“Please be wary of sweet talkers and don’t fall victim to online love scams,” he said when answering a question by Datuk Ikmal Abdul Aziz (BN-Tanah Merah) in Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Of the reported cases, he said police had arrested 1,773 suspects.

He added that the number of cases involving love scams was alarming as it indicated that some women here were easily duped.

He said that in 2013, 1,095 reports were made which resulted in 467 arrests with losses amounting to RM35.6mil.

In 2014, there were 1,015 cases reported which resulted in losses amounting to RM55.2mil and arrest of 610 suspects.

“Last year, 1,769 women were duped by online love scams that saw losses amounting to RM60.1mil and 417 suspects arrested.

“Between January and May this year, 794 cases were reported where the victims parted with RM33.4mil resulting in arrests of 249 suspects,” he added.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said police could only act on reports and urged those conned to come forward to lodge reports.

“The victims may feel ashamed and ridiculed but I appeal to them to come forward and make reports so as to prevent other women from being cheated,” he said.

To a supplementary question by Ikmal, Dr Ahmad Zahid said it was unfair to blame all African students here as being responsible for the love scams.