Schoolgirl loses RM20k to investment scam

KUANTAN: A Form Six student lost RM22,300, including her inheritance from her late mother, after falling victim to a non-existent investment scheme on Telegram last month.

Pahang police chief Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the 19-year-old victim said that on Dec 14, she paid RM1,000 as capital to obtain an identification number and password to the investment website, with the promise of receiving a return within three hours.

“The victim claimed that checks on the website revealed she had gained a return of RM16,000 but she had to make some payments before she could withdraw the money, causing her to use her inheritance,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Ramli said the victim finally realised the investment scheme did not exist after she failed to get the promised money.

She then lodged a report at the Bera district police headquarters on Sunday.

In a separate case, a pensioner claimed to have lost almost RM100,000, including his Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings, after being duped by a Macau scam syndicate on Dec 21.

The victim, who wished to be known as Ng, 58, said he received a call from a man who introduced himself as a police officer from the Penang police headquarters.

The “police officer” claimed he was investigating a drug trafficking case allegedly involving the victim.

“The call was then transferred to a woman who claimed to be a Bank Negara Malaysia officer.

“She later sent me a link via WhatsApp to collect my details, including banking information, for checking purposes,” he told a press conference here, with Semambu assemblyman Chan Chun Kuan also present.

Ng said he only realised that he had lost some of his savings on Dec 29 and lodged a police report on the same day. — Bernama