SIBU: An elderly housewife here lost RM317,000 after she was allegedly duped by a syndicate in a traditional healing scam.
Sibu police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the victim, a local woman in her 70s, lodged a police report on Sunday over the incident, which occurred on July 19 at the Sibu Market area.
He said an unidentified woman, believed to be a Chinese national, approached the victim on the pretext of asking for directions to a nearby traditional medicine shop.
“Another woman ... approached the victim and offered to take them to a shop allegedly owned by a relative.
“The victim was then taken in a vehicle, before one of the suspects claimed she could read her face and told her that her child would be involved in a serious road accident that day,” he said.
ACP Abang Zainal said the suspects then offered a protection ritual and asked the victim to hand over cash and jewellery for the purpose. He said the victim handed over cash and jewellery amounting to about RM317,000.
