KUANTAN: A 55-year-old woman doctor lost RM468,000 after falling victim to an online investment scam advertised on Facebook in May.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the victim was attracted by the advertisement and was later contacted by an individual posing as a representative of Nikko Asset Management, allegedly based in Singapore.
"The suspect promised returns of 80% to 128% within a month. Convinced by the offer, the victim made 14 transfers into four different accounts between June 17 and Aug 6, using her Employees Provident Fund savings," he said in a statement on Wednesday (Aug 20).
Yahaya said the victim was then shown falsified profit statements through pictures sent by the suspect, indicating that her investment had grown to RM800,000, including the capital.
"The victim was subsequently asked to pay another RM152,725, supposedly for tax purposes, before she could withdraw the profits. She became suspicious and refused to comply," he said.
According to Yahaya, checks revealed that Nikko Asset Management is a legitimate investment management company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with branches worldwide, but its name had been misused by scammers in this case.
The victim lodged a report at the Kuantan District Police Headquarters yesterday, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. - Bernama
