TANGKAK: A 58-year-old restaurant operator lost RM364,500 after being duped by a scammer posing as a police officer who accused her of being involved in money laundering.
Tangkak OCPD Supt Roslan Mohd Talib said the woman received a call on Jan 23 from an individual who claimed to be a police officer and alleged that she was involved in illegal financial activities.
“The suspect then instructed the victim to provide her company’s online banking details and one-time passwords (OTP) supposedly for verification purposes,” he said here on Wednesday (Jan 28).
Supt Roslan said the victim complied with the scammer’s instruction out of fear, not realising it was a scam.
“A third party subsequently took over the victim’s online banking account, and funds were transferred out without her knowledge,” he added.
Supt Roslan said the victim only realised she had been cheated after discovering several unauthorised transactions and later lodged a police report on Tuesday (Jan 27).
He added that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries a jail term of up to 10 years, whipping, and a fine upon conviction.
Supt Roslan reminded the public to remain vigilant and not to fall for claims made by individuals impersonating authorities online or over the phone.
“The public should verify such claims with the relevant agencies first and exercise caution to avoid becoming victims of scams,” he said.
He urged the public to keep up to date on the latest scam tactics through the Commercial Crime Investigation Department’s official social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Supt Roslan said those who have fallen victim to scams should immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 to enable swift action to block fund outflows.
