Govt retiree loses nearly RM550,000 to crypto investment scam

IPOH: A 70-year-old government retiree in Hutan Melintang has lost RM542,171 in a cryptocurrency investment scam.

Perak police chief Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the victim lodged a police report on the matter at 4.34pm on July 30.

Comm Mohd Yusri said the incident happened on Jan 8, when the victim was at his house, and had come across a social media site with the title “Najwan Islam” based in Singapore offering the purchase of cryptocurrency in the United States.

“The victim then contacted the account holder via WhatsApp, and the suspect asked for personal information such as his MyKad number, and his bank details on the pretext of creating documents for the investment.

“On Jan 9, the victim bought two shares worth RM500 by crediting the money into a local bank account, and he was told that he would be getting an investment of RM4,950 back on the same day.

“The victim was also informed that if he kept his money longer in the cryptocurrency account, he would continue to enjoy higher profits from time to time,”he said.

Comm Mohd Yusri said on Jan 10, the victim contacted the suspect asking questions related to his investment, and he was informed that his profits now stood at RM18,500.

However, he said the victim was told to make several payments to the suspect to get his overall investment.

“From January until July, the victim made 133 transactions online into 39 different bank accounts, with a total loss of RM542,171.20.

“In that whole period, the victim did not receive any payments on the investment made.

“When he exhausted his savings, and the suspect kept on asking that he invest more, the victim asked that his money be returned, but several excuses were made, and slowly his messages were not answered.

“The victim realised that he had been cheated, and lodged a police report, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code,” he added.

Comm Mohd Yusri advised people not to easily fall into the trap of such non-existent investment schemes.

“Always invest in platforms that are registered with Bank Negara.

“Never ever entertain unknown individuals on social media offering unbelievable returns in a short span of time,” he added.