DUNGUN: A teacher and a senior citizen collectively lost over RM400,000 in two separate phone scams involving suspects impersonating police and other officials.
A 40-year-old female teacher in Dungun was cheated of RM254,360 after receiving a call on September 4 from a man posing as an insurance agent.
The suspect accused her of making a false medical claim worth RM38,000 before transferring the call to an accomplice impersonating a police investigator.
The second suspect alleged the victim was involved in money laundering activities, citing 30 bank accounts under her name used for fraudulent transactions.
The call was then handed over to a third suspect pretending to be a deputy public prosecutor, who claimed to be delaying two arrest warrants issued against her.
Dungun Police chief Superintendent Maizura Abdul Kadir said the victim was instructed to provide all her bank details for further action.
The victim realised she was scammed when she discovered nine unauthorised transactions had transferred money from her account to unknown recipients between October 3 and 13.
She lodged a police report yesterday regarding the incident.
In a separate case, a 61-year-old woman in Kota Tinggi, Johor lost RM152,000 to a similar phone scam.
Kota Tinggi District Police Chief Superintendent Yusof Othman said the victim received a call from someone claiming to be a delivery company representative.
The caller informed her of a package containing illegal goods registered under her name before transferring the call to another suspect impersonating a police officer.
The fake police officer accused her of involvement in money laundering and instructed her to make payments as part of the investigation.
The victim made 10 fund transfers totalling RM152,000 to three different accounts between July 7 and 10.
She was promised a refund once the investigation and trial concluded but realised she had been scammed when the money was never returned.
Both cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. – Bernama
