BATU PAHAT: A 40-year-old woman here has fallen victim to an online scam, losing RM123,780 after being lured by a part-time job offer promising high returns.
Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the victim was browsing Facebook on Nov 27 and responded to an advertisement offering a lucrative part-time opportunity.
“The woman, a business owner, was soon contacted by an individual via WhatsApp, who persuaded her to buy products from a specific website with the promise of a 30% profit,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 3).
ACP Shahrulanuar added that over four days from Nov 28 to Sunday (Dec 1), the victim, who believed the offer was legitimate, transferred money into seven different bank accounts.
“The total amount paid was RM123,780... (over) multiple payments.
“However, when the scammer continued to demand additional payment to release the promised profits, the victim grew suspicious and stopped following instructions.
“Realising she had been duped, the woman reported the incident to the police on Monday (Dec 2),” he added.
He said district police are investigating under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
He reminded the public to be cautious about accepting such offers online, especially those that promise high returns with little to no risk or effort.
