‘Check first before sending money to online lover’

BALIK PULAU: If you fall in love with someone on social media and that someone needs financial help and gives you bank account numbers to send money to, there is one way to check if you might be ensnared in a love scam.

“The public is advised to check the account numbers through the Royal Malaysia Police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department website (https://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule) or download the Check Scammers CCID app through Google Play before making transactions,” said Balik Pulau OCPD Supt Kamarul Rizal Jenal.

You can also key in your online lover’s telephone number to check if the number was used to dupe anyone.

The checking system is available in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil.

Supt Kamarul urged the public to always be careful and not fall victim to love or parcel scam syndicates through social media.

He gave this advice after a 47-year-old businesswoman here became RM74,000 poorer after sending money to her “American boyfriend” whom she had met on social media.

The woman came to her senses and lodged a police report on Thursday night.

“The victim met the suspect on Facebook in April.

“The suspect claimed to be from the United States and experiencing a financial crisis related to an excavation project in Italy.

“He told the victim he needed money to repair the site of the excavation project.

“The victim, who had known the suspect for just a month, believed him and transferred RM74,000 through seven transactions to two local bank accounts provided by the suspect.

“The victim finally realised that she was scammed after telling a friend about the incident.

“She found out that the suspect’s profile pictures were used on several fake Facebook accounts and lodged a police report,” Supt Kamarul said in a statement yesterday.

The case will be investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.