KUANTAN: A lecturer has lost RM294,000 after falling victim to a syndicate claiming to be a police officer and representative of an e-commerce company.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said a man, aged 44, had received a telephone call on April 30 from an individual claiming to be a representative of e-commerce platform Lazada, saying that the victim’s telephone number had been used for fraudulent activities.
“The victim was then connected to another individual posing as a police officer who accused the victim of being involved in document forgery and money laundering cases. The suspect also threatened the victim with imprisonment and whipping,“ he said in a statement today.
He said the suspect also ordered the victim to report (to them) five times per day via phone, WhatsApp and video calls.
Due to panic over the threat, he said the victim made 17 transactions to 11 different bank accounts through online banking and cash deposit machines (CDM), involving a total amount of RM294,000.
“The money was obtained from personal savings, family and a bank loan,“ he said.
In addition, Yahaya advised the public not to panic easily if they receive suspicious calls, and to immediately verify with the police or relevant agencies.
“The public is also encouraged to verify account numbers and phone numbers received through the link https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my before making any financial transactions,“ he added.
