Teluk Intan lawyer loses RM1.76mil in love scam

TELUK INTAN: A lawyer lost RM1.76mil in a love scam after becoming acquainted with a foreign man through the WhatsApp application in July.

Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said the 58-year-old woman lodged a police report on Monday (Sept 9) after realising she had been deceived.

"According to the woman, the suspect claimed to be a marine geologist who said his cash was stolen during a robbery when he was in Malaysia for an underwater tank construction project off the coast of Terengganu.

"Due to the 'problems' he claimed to face, the suspect asked the victim for financial assistance," he told a press conference following an engagement session on scam-related crimes and current crime trends here on Tuesday (Sept 10).

Azizi said the victim subsequently made multiple bank transfers to several different accounts, with the total amount reaching RM1,757,490.

"The suspect promised to return the money, but to this day, the victim has not received any repayment," he added.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

Meanwhile, Azizi revealed that Hilir Perak district recorded RM2mil in losses due to online fraud during the first seven months of this year. – Bernama