MIRI: A 64-year-old woman was conned out of more than RM1.17mil in a love scam on TikTok
Miri OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said in a statement that the district Commercial Crime Investigation Division received a report on the case on April 15.
“The victim is believed to have first come into contact with the suspect through a message on TikTok, before their communication continued via WhatsApp after the suspect requested her telephone number.
“The suspect allegedly posed as a foreign national, using photographs of other individuals and falsified personal documents to gain the victim’s trust,” he said in a statement on Thursday (April 16).
Farhan added that the suspect claimed to be involved in an approved exploration project and required financial assistance for a down payment and project-related expenses, alleging that his bank account had been blocked or compromised.
“In return, the suspect assured the victim that the money would be repaid in US dollars,” he said.
Swayed by the suspect’s assurances and persuasive words, the victim proceeded to make 59 separate bank transfers to nine third-party accounts provided by the suspect, totalling RM1,173,700.
She only realised she had been deceived after confiding in her family members, before subsequently lodging a police report.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
