Housewife loses nearly RM500k in scam

SEREMBAN: An elderly housewife lost almost half a million ringgit after falling for an investment scam.

Port Dickson District police chief Supt Aidi Sham Mohamed said the 60-year-old woman claimed to have received a message from an unknown Facebook page offering free financial management book along with a WhatsApp link on Oct 3.

He said the victim clicked on the link and was added to a WhatsApp group before being asked to download an application to open a savings account, and was promised interest from the deposits.

“Through the application, the victim was required to deposit money into a bank account provided by the WhatsApp group administrator and upload the payment slip into the application.

“The woman then deposited funds through 17 transactions to two bank accounts in the name of different companies using her own savings, her children’s savings, and by taking a loan from her friend, with the total being RM476,100,” Supt Aidi Sham said in a statement today.

He said the victim later found that her account was blocked when she wanted to withdraw money from the interest accrued.

Realising she had been cheated, the victim lodged a police report yesterday, he added.