IPOH: A woman suffered losses of over RM5mil after being duped in an investment scam via an online platform.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said the victim, a professional in her 60s, came across a cryptocurrency platform and online investment group on Facebook.
"Initial investigations found that the first transaction by the victim was made in July for RM10,000, and the last transaction was in August.
"The total recorded loss amounted to RM5,030,970,” he said in a statement late Monday (Sept 15).
Comm Noor Hisam said the syndicate’s modus operandi was to convince victims by displaying initial profits in the system to gain their trust.
He said the victim was later instructed to transfer funds into several local bank accounts controlled by the syndicate but when she attempted to withdraw her capital and profits, the transaction failed and access to the platform was blocked.
"The victim eventually checked with the Securities Commission Malaysia, which confirmed the investment platform was unregistered and listed as an illegal investment entity,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
He advised the public to be cautious of investment offers on social media that promise high returns in a short time, and to avoid disclosing personal information to unknown parties as it could be misused by criminals. – Bernama
