SIBU: A pensioner lost nearly RM90,000 after falling victim to a scam involving false advertisements, fake prizes, and live videos.
The victim was first enticed by a “lucky draw” advertisement claiming he had won a jade ornament.
He was then instructed to switch to a messaging app for delivery, where a live video promoting gemstone investments convinced him to transfer money to 13 different bank accounts over about a month.
Sarawak National Consumer Action Council (MTPN) president Lucas Lau warned that such scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with fraudsters exploiting legitimate digital platforms to lure victims with promises of quick profits.
He urged the public never to transfer money to unknown accounts or click on suspicious links in apps.
Victims should immediately call the National Fraud Response Centre at 997 and verify bank accounts via the police Semak Mule portal. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Lau said on Friday (March 13).
