JOHOR BARU: Two men fell victim to separate scams in Johor recently, resulting in losses exceeding RM200,000.
In the first case, a 44-year-old man fell victim to a Macau scam when he was contacted by someone impersonating a police officer.
Tangkak OCPD Supt Roslan Mohd Talib said the incident, which occurred on Jan 28, resulted in the victim losing a total of RM143,000.
“The suspect contacted the victim, falsely claiming that they were implicated in an investment fraud case.
“Under the pretence of conducting an audit, the scammer convinced the victim to freeze their bank account and transfer funds to multiple accounts as part of the so-called audit process,” he said in a statement here on Thursday (Jan 30).
Supt Roslan added that the victim made ten transactions to three different accounts, which were suspected to be mule accounts used by fraudsters.
In the second case, Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said that a 34-year-old man was deceived by a fake online job scheme, leading to losses amounting to RM64,894.
The victim lodged a police report on Jan 29 after realising he had been scammed.
The fraud began on Nov 9 last year, when the victim, while staying at a hotel in Johor Baru, received a message from an unknown number introducing themselves as “Lee Yun Jeong”.
“The scammer later continued communication via WhatsApp from the number +66823608286.
“The scammer persuaded the victim to participate in an online part-time job using an international e-commerce platform, Pacific Shop.
“The victim was sent a link to register an account on the website and was instructed to evaluate products listed on the platform. The scam promised high commissions and a return of deposited funds,” he said.
ACP Raub added that between Nov 11 and Jan 28, the victim transferred a total of RM64,894 via 12 online transactions to eight different bank accounts.
However, after making payments, the victim only received a refund of US$50. Realising he was being coerced into making further payments, the victim refrained from additional transactions and reported the scam.
Investigations found that seven of the bank accounts involved had a history of 48 previous scam-related records.
Both cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
The police have urged the public to be cautious and not to fall for investment schemes promising quick and high returns with minimal effort.
Authorities recommend verifying investment opportunities before committing funds to avoid being scammed.
Additionally, the public is encouraged to stay updated on the latest scam tactics through the official social media channels of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Anyone who has fallen victim to scams is advised to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 immediately to take early action to prevent further financial losses.
