KUANTAN: A company auditor lost RM1.29 million after falling victim to a non-existent investment scheme offered via WhatsApp, said Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman.
He said the 43-year-old woman was initially added to a WhatsApp investment chat group called “C Baird VIP” on July 16 last year.
He added that the victim, who is also a subcontractor, then invested RM50,000 in a basic package and received a return of capital and profit totalling RM49,000.
“Between Jan 16 and March 25 last year, she made 26 cash transactions into five different bank accounts totalling RM1.29 million.
“However, the victim began suspecting something amiss when she was told to make additional payments, supposedly as charges to withdraw her profits, estimated to be about RM3.1 million,” he said in a statement today.
Yahaya said the victim, who invested by using her savings, from pawning her jewellery and taking loans from friends, lodged a police report at the Pekan District Police Headquarters yesterday, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
