GEORGE TOWN: A 60-year-old woman clerk here was scammed of RM685,000 after taking part in an online investment scheme recently.
Penang police chief Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said the Commercial Crime Investigation Division of the Timur Laut Police Headquarters received a report from the woman yesterday.
“The victim said that she came across an investment advertisement with the concept of buying and selling shares via Facebook, which promised lucrative returns within a short period.
“The victim then contacted the suspect through WhatsApp before being added to a WhatsApp group, where she was given further explanation,” he said in a statement today.
Hamzah said the victim was then told to download an application and register as a member to invest in the scheme, before going on to make 19 cash transactions into four different bank accounts.
He said the victim only realised she had been scammed after being asked to make a payment of 10 per cent of the total RM1.4 million profit she had made.
He added that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
