BATU PAHAT: Two separate online scams have targeted retirees in Batu Pahat, Johor resulting in significant financial losses for the victims.
These incidents highlight the growing prevalence of online fraud and the importance of online safety measures.
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In the first case, a retired teacher in her 50s was searching for cleaning services on social media.
She clicked on a link that offered a seemingly attractive deal - a mere RM15 deposit to secure a cleaner for her home.
According to The Star, after entering her personal details on the linked webpage, the transaction supposedly failed.
Unaware of the scam, the teacher did not think much of it and sought alternative cleaning arrangements.
A few days later, her bank contacted her regarding suspicious activity in her accounts.
To her horror, nearly RM250,000 was missing from two of her accounts.
The devastated teacher has since lodged a police repor
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The second scam involved another woman in her 50s who was contacted by a friend about an “investment scheme” promising financial assistance for senior citizens.
Through a provided link, the victim was offered a substantial RM300,000 grant.
However, to receive the funds, she was required to pay a processing “tax” upfront.
Despite initial hesitation, the woman was ultimately convinced and ended up paying RM110,000 in multiple transactions.
The fraudulent nature of the scheme became apparent only when the syndicate dangled an even larger RM1 million grant but demanded further “taxes” as a prerequisite.
Realizing she had been scammed, the victim immediately reported the incident to the police.
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Bukit Aman officials confirmed both cases are under investigation for cheating offenses under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
The police urge the public, especially retirees, to exercise extreme caution when interacting with strangers online.
They advise against clicking on suspicious links or sharing personal banking information, particularly for online forms requesting such details.
For added security, authorities recommend using the Semak Mule mobile application or visiting the official portal https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my/ to verify the legitimacy of bank accounts or phone numbers associated with suspicious online activity.
Read More: Retired lecturer loses over RM1 mln in online investment scam
These incidents serve as a stark reminder for everyone to remain vigilant online and employ robust safeguards to protect their finances from online scams.
