KOTA TINGGI: A 52-year-old woman has fallen victim to an investment scam on Telegram, losing RM105,600 after being lured by promises of lucrative returns.
Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Yusof Othman said the victim lodged a police report on Thursday (March 20) after failing to withdraw her investment returns from the scheme.
He added that the victim had also discovered that she could not recover the money she had initially invested.
“The scam began when the woman came across an advertisement on Telegram promoting an investment scheme.
“The scheme promised high returns, with potential profits reaching tens of thousands of ringgit.
“As part of the syndicate’s modus operandi, the victim was initially given a free trial investment of RM5,000 and, within a few days, received a return of RM247.
“Convinced by the seemingly legitimate profits, she proceeded to invest her own money,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
Supt Yusof added that from Feb 12 to March 11, she made 17 transactions into two different bank accounts, amounting to RM105,600.
On March 18, she attempted to withdraw her investment profits but was told by the suspect to deposit more money. Realising she had been scammed, she decided to file a police report.
Police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Supt Yusof urged the public to be cautious of unregistered or illegal investment schemes, especially those that promise quick and unrealistic profits.
“The public should also check suspicious investment offers through official channels, such as the Commercial Crime Investigation Department’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
“Additionally, the public is encouraged to verify bank account details before making any transactions using the ‘Semak Mule’ online service and to install the Whoscall app to minimise the risk of fraud,” he said.
Victims of financial scams are advised to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 for prompt action to block further fund transfers from scam-related accounts.
