BATU PAHAT: Instead of making millions in profit, a businessman lost more than RM800,000 of his own money to a fraudulent investment scheme.
Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the victim, a 61-year-old local man, has lodged a police report claiming he has been scammed.
"According to the victim, on 23 September this year, he saw an advertisement for an investment scheme promising high returns on Facebook and became interested," he said.
He added that an unknown individual used WhatsApp to contact the businessman, saying that the victim was offered an opportunity to join the scheme and was convinced of high profits.
ACP Shahrulanuar Mushaddat added that between Nov 8 and Dec 17, the victim deposited money into two different bank accounts in phases, totalling RM823,000.
"After seeing his profits through the investment apps reach more than RM1.1mil, the victim wanted to withdraw the money. However, he was instructed to make additional payments to get his profits."
He did not make further payments and became suspicious about the legitimacy of the investment scheme, realising he had been cheated.
ACP Shahrulanuar Mushaddat said police have classified the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and urged the public not to easily believe in any investment promotions that promise high returns.
He also advised the public to visit the police commercial crime department's social media pages to learn more about commercial crime.
