MIRI: A private retiree has lost more than RM330,000 of her savings after falling victim to a phone scam in which culprits posed as officers from the government and police.
The victim, a 64-year-old local woman, had received a phone call from an individual claiming to be from the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), accusing her of involvement in a fraud syndicate.
She was later connected to another individual posing as a police officer from Perlis district police headquarters (IPD).
Miri police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the victim was told that her assets had to be ‘verified’ for investigation and security purposes by transferring all her savings into a bank account provided by the suspect.
“Believing the instructions, she made several transactions amounting to RM334,964.90 at a bank counter, as directed by the suspect.
“She only realised she had been duped after verifying the details and confirming that the caller was not a genuine officer,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property.
Mohd Farhan urged the public not to panic or disclose personal information over the phone, even if the caller claims to be from government agencies.
“Suspicious calls should be verified through official channels and reported to the authorities. Members of the public are also encouraged to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 if they fall victim to scams such as phone scams, love scams, e-commerce fraud, or non-existent loans.
“In addition, they can check suspicious phone numbers or bank accounts via the Semak Mule portal at http://semakmule.rmp.gov.my before conducting any financial transactions,” he said.
For the latest updates on scam modus operandi, the public can also follow the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Facebook page, Cyber Crime Alert Royal Malaysia Police, and Sarawak CCID.
She was later connected to another individual posing as a police officer from Perlis district police headquarters (IPD).
Miri police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the victim was told that her assets had to be ‘verified’ for investigation and security purposes by transferring all her savings into a bank account provided by the suspect.
“Believing the instructions, she made several transactions amounting to RM334,964.90 at a bank counter, as directed by the suspect.
“She only realised she had been duped after verifying the details and confirming that the caller was not a genuine officer,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property.
Mohd Farhan urged the public not to panic or disclose personal information over the phone, even if the caller claims to be from government agencies.
“Suspicious calls should be verified through official channels and reported to the authorities. Members of the public are also encouraged to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 if they fall victim to scams such as phone scams, love scams, e-commerce fraud, or non-existent loans.
“In addition, they can check suspicious phone numbers or bank accounts via the Semak Mule portal at http://semakmule.rmp.gov.my before conducting any financial transactions,” he said.
For the latest updates on scam modus operandi, the public can also follow the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Facebook page, Cyber Crime Alert Royal Malaysia Police, and Sarawak CCID.