A 67-year-old trader lost RM371,000 after being duped by scammers masquerading as police officers in a phone scam.
Hilir Perak district police chief Assistant Commissioner Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin said the victim lodged a report on Saturday after no officer showed up as promised by the suspects.
Investigations revealed that on Oct 26, the victim received a call from an unknown number, alleging she was involved in money laundering. The caller, who introduced himself as “Datuk Yoong”, claimed to be a police officer from the Pahang contingent headquarters and pressured her to cooperate in a fabricated investigation.
She was told to continue conversations via WhatsApp using three phone numbers provided by the syndicate.
Between Oct 27 and Nov 10, the victim was instructed to transfer her savings into several accounts across four local banks, with assurances the funds would be returned once the “investigation” was completed.
The victim became suspicious when no officer arrived to meet her, prompting her to file a police report.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries a jail term of one to 10 years and caning upon conviction.
AC Dr Bakri reminded the public that police do not request funds to be transferred into third-party accounts for investigation purposes, urging anyone receiving suspicious calls to verify them immediately with the nearest police station or through official channels.
