Special officer, student cheated of over RM11,000 in online scams

JEMPOL: A special officer to an assemblyman and an 18-year-old student have been cheated of almost RM11,300 in separate online scams on Instagram.

OCPD Supt Hoo Chang Hook said in the first case, the 52-year-old special officer decided to apply for a RM10,000 personal loan after coming across an advertisement on Instagram on Tuesday (Feb 15).

Jempol OCPD Supt Hoo Chang Hook

"After getting the details, he got in touch with two individuals known as Tony and Daniel Heng, who were supposedly agents to process the loan application.

"However, the victim was told that he would need to make an upfront payment as he was ineligible to apply for the loan due to his poor financial standing," he said in a statement on Thursday (Feb 17).

Supt Hoo said the victim was then asked to bank in cash into the accounts of three persons.

After having deposited RM9,345 via six transactions, the victim became suspicious as the suspects kept asking him to pay more if he wanted his application to be approved.

"He then realised that he had been cheated and decided to lodge a report," he said.

In the second case, an 18-year-old student from Felda Raja Alias 4 in Bandar Seri Jempol, who wanted to buy a laptop, lost RM1,950 after she was cheated in another scam.

Supt Hoo said the victim saw an advertisement on Instagram on Feb 2 where a Netbook Air laptop was being offered for sale for RM1,950.

She then got in touch with a suspect who told her that the laptop will be sent to her within two days after full payment is made.

The following day, she transferred RM1,400 into a bank account belonging to an individual and on Feb 9, paid the remaining RM550.

"However, she has not been able to contact the suspect after that and decided to lodge a report," he said, adding that checks showed that both accounts had been used in other cheating cases.

Supt Hoo said police were investigating both cases under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

The offence carries a jail term of between one and 10 years, whipping and a fine.