A 72-year-old woman transferred RM1.3mil to scammers posing as MCMC and police officers over four months.
KUCHING: A retired woman in her seventies has become the latest victim of phone scammers, losing more than RM1.3 million over a four-month period to fraudsters impersonating government officials.
Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu confirmed to Borneo Post that a report was lodged on Saturday regarding the case, which began in late July this year.
According to police, the 72-year-old victim received an unsolicited call on July 31 from someone claiming to represent the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). The caller alleged that her mobile number had been implicated in criminal activity.
The call was subsequently transferred to another individual who introduced himself as “Sergeant Tan,” purportedly calling from Terengganu police headquarters.
The impersonator convinced the victim to make multiple financial transfers, claiming the funds were required for investigative procedures.
Over the following months, the woman made 14 separate transactions into seven different bank accounts, totalling RM1,300,200 in losses.
“The victim only realised she had been scammed after her husband contacted her about the matter,” Alexson stated.
This case adds to an alarming trend of similar scams in the area.
Alexson revealed that between January and November 16 this year, Kuching’s Commercial Crime Investigation Division (CCID) has opened 92 investigation papers involving phone scams with comparable methods of operation.
The combined financial losses from these cases have reached RM5,965,575.50, including the latest incident.
Authorities are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which addresses cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property. Upon conviction, offenders face imprisonment of one to 10 years, along with possible caning and fines.
Alexson urged the public to take immediate precautions when receiving suspicious calls:
Stay calm and end the call immediately if anything seems suspicious or if callers request money transfers.
Never share personal information including banking details, identification numbers, or passwords with unknown callers.
Verify immediately by contacting the nearest police station to confirm whether any legitimate investigation is taking place.
Check suspicious details using the official Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Semak Mule portal at https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my to verify account numbers and phone numbers.
Where to Report
Members of the public who suspect they are being targeted by scammers can contact:
CCID Sarawak Hotline: 011-62890089
Email: [email protected]
National Scam Response Centre: 997 (available 24 hours)
Authorities emphasize that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never request money transfers over the phone or demand banking information during telephone conversations.
The case serves as a stark reminder for elderly individuals and their families to remain vigilant against increasingly sophisticated scam operations targeting vulnerable members of the community.
