SIBU: A 39-year old civil servant here has lost RM404,045 after falling victim to a fake online investment scheme.
Acting Sibu OCPD Boniface Bajai said the local Commercial Crime Investigation Division received a police report on Tuesday (Feb 24) on the case.
“Police have opened an investigation paper under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said the woman came across an investment advertisement in October 2025 while browsing Facebook.
“The victim was later contacted via Messenger and asked to join a WhatsApp group known as ‘T-91-ABS’. A woman claiming to be an assistant to an investment guru then communicated with the victim,” he said.
At the initial stage, the syndicate provided stock recommendations and even reimbursed 80% of the victim’s earlier loss, amounting to RM515.20, which boosted her confidence in the scheme.
The victim was subsequently encouraged to open an investment account through a smartphone application and instructed to make payments into several company accounts.
“Believing the investment to be genuine, she made 18 money transfers totalling RM404,045 into three different company accounts,” Boniface said.
He added that the victim only realised she had been duped when she attempted to withdraw her purported dividends but was instead asked to pay 20% of the profits as a prerequisite for processing the withdrawal.
“Until now, the complainant has not been able to withdraw any money and suspects that she has been scammed,” he said.
Boniface advised the public to be cautious of investment offers promising high returns and to verify the legitimacy of companies and websites through official channels such as Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia.
He said checks can also be made via the Investment Checker portal on the Securities Commission’s website, while suspicious bank accounts and phone numbers can be verified through the Semak Mule portal managed by the police.
“For further advice or assistance, the public may contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997 and follow the official social media pages of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department,” he added.
