A 73-year-old former government worker lost over half a million ringgit after scammers posing as police officers tricked her into surrendering her ATM cards and PINs.
BUKIT MERTAJAM: A government retiree has lost RM537,058 to a phone scam syndicate impersonating police officers.
Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief ACP Helmi Aris said the 73-year-old woman lodged a report on Dec 7 after being targeted since Aug 29.
The victim initially received a call from a man claiming to be from the police Anti-Money Laundering Division.
He informed her that a bank account in her name in Kangar, Perlis, was allegedly involved in money laundering.
She was then connected to another man posing as an officer from Kangar Police Station.
The scammers later instructed her to hand over all her bank ATM cards and PINs for investigation.
She was told to leave the cards at a bus stop near her home.
Between Sept 3 and Dec 6, the victim transferred a total of RM537,058 into her own accounts.
Checks revealed the money was withdrawn in stages from Nov 27 to Dec 5 at several banks in the Klang Valley using the surrendered cards.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
