KUALA LUMPUR – A vegetable seller in Cameron Highlands lost RM958,088 after falling victim to a phone scam syndicate that impersonated a bank officer from Dubai.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said that the 69-year-old male victim reported receiving a call via Facebook from an individual claiming to be a bank officer on March 30 last year.
The suspect allegedly offered the victim to falsely claim to be a relative of an individual who had previously deposited US$26.7 million (RM126.69 million) and had died.
“The victim was promised 50% of the claim if he agreed to the offer.
“Then, the suspect was in contact with a lawyer responsible for managing all transactions related to payments made by the victim, including taxes, levies, anti-money laundering fees, and more.
“Following that, the victim made a total of 70 transactions to 26 different bank accounts from May 9, 2023, to March 11, 2024, but did not receive any of the promised payment,” he said in a statement today.
Investigations revealed that the victim’s financial source was his own savings, said Yahaya.
He also advised the public receiving suspicious calls to immediately check with police or related agencies to avoid becoming victims of fraud.
“If asked to provide any banking information, do not disclose any information,” he said. – April, 10, 2024