MUAR: A 40-year-old accounts executive lost more than RM139,000 after falling victim to a phone scam involving individuals impersonating a police officer and a public prosecutor.
Muar deputy OCPD Supt Muhammad Aidil Roneh Abdullah said the case began in January this year when the victim received a call from an unknown individual claiming to represent an insurance company, accusing her of making a false claim.
“The call was then redirected to a so-called officer at the Dang Wangi police headquarters, who alleged that the woman was involved in 21 police reports linked to a non-existent investment scheme and claimed that an arrest warrant had been issued against her.
“The victim was instructed to open a new bank account under the pretext of facilitating investigations and was told to deposit money into it as part of the settlement process,” he said in a press statement here on Friday (June 20).
He said that the woman made 30 transactions between Jan 31 and June 17, transferring a total of RM139,597 into the account provided by the scammer and she also handed over her bank card details.
“Upon checking her account, the victim discovered that the money had been transferred out in 38 separate transactions to 20 different accounts, resulting in a total loss of RM139,565 of her personal savings.
“She only realised she had been duped after all the contact numbers used by the scammers were blocked,” he said.
Supt Muhammad Aidil confirmed the case and said it is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries a jail term of one to 10 years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
He urged the public to remain vigilant against suspicious phone calls and to never disclose personal information such as bank account numbers, identification details or OTP codes to unknown callers.
“Always verify any claims directly with the relevant agencies, and stay informed through official sources such as the Commercial Crime Investigation Department’s Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages,” he said.
