JASIN: A 76-year-old Felda settler from Nyalas is RM55,000 poorer after being offered a “magical diamond” by two fraudsters.
Jasin OCPD Deputy Supt Mispani Hamdan said the victim lodged a police report here yesterday after realising the gemstone was fake.
“The victim had stopped to buy corn at a stall here on Oct 5 when he was approached by two scammers.
“The suspects asked the victim to give them directions to a bookshop, saying they wanted to buy religious books,” he added.
DSP Mispani said during the conversation, one of the suspects saw the victim’s wife alighting from their car with a walking stick.
He said the suspect took the opportunity to offer the gemstone that the two claimed could cure all ailments and had magical powers.
“The suspects then placed the so-called diamond in a plastic bag filled with water to convince the victim that it would shine when immersed in water,” he said.
DSP Mispani said the two conmen then brought the victim in his car to a bank in Tangkak, Johor to withdraw the sum of RM50,000 and also collected RM5,000 in cash from the Felda settler on the same day.
He said upon receiving the money, the conmen asked the victim and his wife to stop at a nearby mosque so that all of them could perform prayers.
“While the couple was performing their prayers, the conmen fled in another car,” he said.
DSP Mispani said the victim dipped the stone in a pail of water when he got home and found it shone even after it was removed from the pail.
He added that the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
