A 75-year-old pensioner in Terengganu lost RM88,000 after scammers posing as police and a prosecutor accused him of money laundering.
KUALA TERENGGANU: A government pensioner lost RM88,000 from his Tabung Haji account and his wife’s savings in a phone scam.
Kuala Terengganu district police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor said the 75-year-old victim from Manir was contacted on 2 December by a suspect impersonating a police officer from Petaling Jaya.
The suspect accused the man of involvement in money laundering before transferring the call to an accomplice posing as a public prosecutor.
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“The suspect asked the victim to pay a sum of money to settle the case and avoid arrest,” Azli said in a statement.
The panicked victim then made several transactions totalling RM88,000 to various accounts between 4 December and last Thursday.
Azli said the suspect instructed the victim to tear up the bank receipts for supposed security reasons.
The victim only informed his wife after making the final payment.
“The victim’s wife, who realised she had been cheated, advised her husband to file a police report at 9.01 last night because she was worried about her safety,” he added.
Police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. – Bernama
