KUCHING: A 61-year-old senior citizen in Miri has lost her entire savings of RM588,000 after falling victim to an elaborate online scam.
The trader received a phone call from a fraudster impersonating an officer from the National Scam Response Centre.
The scammer falsely accused the victim of being involved in a fraudulent syndicate.
Miri Police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah confirmed the incident occurred after the victim was connected to another suspect posing as a police officer from Kuantan.
The fake officer instructed the victim to declare her assets by transferring all savings into a specified account for auditing purposes.
Deceived by the convincing ploy, the victim made several over-the-counter cash transfers totalling RM588,000.
She only realised she had been scammed when the suspects repeatedly demanded additional payments.
Police have opened an investigation under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
This case highlights the increasing sophistication of scams targeting vulnerable individuals.
Authorities urge the public to verify any unsolicited calls claiming to be from government agencies. – Bernama
