ALOR GAJAH – A retired school teacher lost over RM1.22 million after being duped into joining a non-existent investment scheme through a WhatsApp group.
Alor Gajah police chief Supt Arshad Abu said the woman, in her 70s, and whose address is listed as Durian Tunggal, joined the Kumpulan Bursa Saham last September that offered guidance on stock selection on the stock exchange market.
“On October 30, 2023, it was proposed that she join the gold and bitcoin investment scheme which promised lucrative returns and she was given a link to register.
“She then made 29 investment transactions from her retirement savings into the suspect’s eight bank accounts totalling RM1,223,033 between September 14 and December 22, 2023,” he said in a statement today.
Arshad said that the woman was then not allowed to withdraw any of the profits made and was promised a maximum profit return of 30 times the amount of the investment.
The woman, upon realising she had been duped, lodged a report at the Melaka police headquarters yesterday (January 18), adding that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
He advised the public to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997 for swift action to be taken to block and prevent the money from being deposited into a mule account. – January 19, 2024