Retiree loses RM57,300 in love scam

KEPALA BATAS (Bernama): A retiree lost RM57,300 after falling victim to a love scam on social media recently.

North Seberang Perai OCPD Asst Comm Noorzainy Mohd Noor said the 55-year-old woman, who used to work in a factory, claimed to have befriended a man, who allegedly lived abroad, through social media.

"After several months, they developed a relationship and the man promised to come to Malaysia to marry her.

"The victim fell for the empty promises of the man, who also said he wanted to send a gift as a sign of his love. She was then contacted by another individual posing as a courier, who informed her that the gift was detained at the airport by the Customs Department, ” he said in a statement on Sunday (May 30).

ACP Noorzainy said the woman deposited RM57,300 in almost 10 transactions into two bank accounts given to her but realised she had been cheated after the suspect continued asking for payments and threatened her with possible arrest by the customs if she failed to do so.

He said the victim then related her experience to her friend before lodging a police report on Saturday (May 29).- Bernama