JEMPOL: A 50-year-old housewife has lost nearly RM27,000 after falling victim to a fraudulent online investment scheme promising exceptionally high returns.
Jempol police chief Supt Hoo Chang Hook said the woman filed a police report on Tuesday after realising she had been scammed.
“The victim’s ordeal began on Aug 4 when she encountered an advertisement on Facebook for an online investment opportunity,” he said in a statement yesterday.
According to Supt Hoo, the advertisement claimed that by purchasing RM300 worth of shares, she could earn RM11,000 in return.
Interested, the woman contacted the scheme’s representatives via two mobile numbers provided for further details.
She initially paid RM300 to a specified account, followed by additional payments, including a RM5,303 “management fee” allegedly for Bursa Malaysia.
“On Aug 10, the victim was informed that her returns had been deposited into her account, but she needed to pay 16%, or about RM12,600, in sales and services tax before she could withdraw the money.
“The victim agreed and transferred the cash into a bank account given by the individual representing the so-called investment company,” he said.
Subsequently, she was asked for another RM3,000 in pending payments, which she also paid.
Despite having transferred RM26,753.48 to various accounts, she never received any returns.
“She only realised it was a scam when the so-called company representatives kept asking for more money for various reasons,” said Supt Hoo.
The case is being investigated for cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 10 years, along with whipping and a fine upon conviction.
Supt Hoo advised the public to exercise caution and invest only through legitimate channels.
“Avoid online schemes that require payments to various individual accounts,” he advised.
For further information, the public can contact the police’s CCID Scam Response Centre at 03-2610 1559 or 03-2610 1599.
