KUALA TERENGGANU: A businessman here has lost RM62,000 after being deceived into buying supplies for a nonexistent tender.
Kuala Terengganu OCPD Asst Comm Azli Mohd Noor said the victim received a text message on Jan 11 from a man claiming to be an employee of a training institute in Marang.
He said the suspect offered the victim a project to supply 16mm and 2.5mm electrical cables worth more than RM60,000 within three days.
"The suspect also gave the victim the phone number of his friend, said to be a cable supplier, to purchase the goods.
"The victim contacted the suspect's friend and made two payments totalling RM62,000 on Sunday and Monday (Jan 25 and 26) to obtain the supply," ACP Azli said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 28).
He said the victim suspected he had been cheated after being asked to make an additional payment of RM40,000 for Customs clearance.
The victim then contacted the institute to obtain confirmation about the tender, and was told that there was no such contract.
"The victim lodged a police report at 1.51pm on Tuesday (Jan 27). The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating," ACP Azli added. – Bernama
