JOHOR BARU: Two men have sustained financial losses amounting to over RM290,000 after being duped in two separate scam cases in Kota Tinggi and Batu Pahat.
In the first case, Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Yusof Othman said a 47-year-old manager lodged a police report on Thursday (Oct 3) about a nonexistent investment scheme on Facebook.
“The victim suffered losses of RM124,000 after making 21 payments to three different bank accounts.
“The case started in May when the victim spotted an investment opportunity on the social media platform offering millions of ringgit in returns,” he said here on Friday (Oct 4).
Supt Yusof added that the victim was given a user ID allowing him to monitor his investment status and returns through a mobile application.
“The victim was confident that this investment scheme was real as he was able to monitor his investment and received RM55,000 in returns.
“However, the victim was coaxed to make additional investments amounting to RM124,000,” he said.
Supt Yusof added that the victim lodged a report after being unable to withdraw his "profit", amounting to RM9mil, through the app.
In the second case, Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said a retired lecturer claimed he was cheated in a bogus investment scheme.
He added that the 60-year-old victim lodged a police report on Thursday after making periodic investments in the scheme since 2022.
“According to the victim, he met an individual who claimed to represent an investment company about investing in a kenaf tree plantation.
“The victim was briefed on the investment opportunity and promised a dividend of 3% of his investment every month," he said.
ACP Shahrulanuar Mushaddat said the victim was interested and signed several documents furnished by the suspect.
He said on June 8, 2022, the victim began making monetary transactions to a company’s bank account amounting to RM200,000.
“The victim then received dividends amounting to RM30,000 but from January last year, he received nothing at all, finally realising he had been cheated,” he said.
He added that the victim claimed to have lost RM170,000.
Police have classified the two cases under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and urged the public not to fall for any investment opportunities offering high returns.
