KUALA LUMPUR: A senior citizen lost about RM1mil after he was duped by a phone scam syndicate, says Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf.
The Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director said the 65-year-old man had lodged a police report in Penang on the matter on Monday (Nov 25).
"The victim, who is a retiree, had received a call from an individual claiming to be from Tabung Haji on Oct 18.
"He was told that his account was implicated in money laundering activities. He was then contacted by a man posing as a policeman from Ampang, saying the victim was under investigation," he told a press conference at CCID headquarters on Tuesday (Nov 26).
The victim was also instructed to report five times daily to a woman supposedly a Deputy Public Prosecutor, he said.
"He followed all instructions including opening a new bank account and transferring all his savings to the new account.
"He also gave the scammers all banking details.
"The victim only realised he was duped when he told his children about the incident," he said.
An investigation showed the funds in the new bank account had been transferred to several other accounts in 60 transactions, Comm Ramli said.
"We are investigating under Section 420 of the Penal Code," he said.
In another case, a 55-year-old factory manager in Perai, Penang, suffered RM1.1mil in losses to phone scams, Comm Ramli said.
"She lodged a police report on Nov 11, saying she received a call from someone claiming to be from the National Anti-FInancial Crime Centre (NFCC) on Sept 19.
"She was told that her account was used for money laundering in Kuching, Sarawak and the call was transferred to a so-called policeman from Sarawak, where she could lodge a report," he said.
The victim was told to report her daily activities to the individual posing as a policeman and instructed to transfer her savings to another account supposedly for an investigation, he said.
"If she refused, the scammers claimed she would be detained and brought to court.
"The victim then transferred her savings to nine different accounts starting Sept 24 until Nov 5.
"She only realised she was duped after telling her husband of what had transpired," he said.
