By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, Feb 27: A businessman lost a shocking RM1 million to a bank scam even when he did not entertain a suspicious anonymous call allegedly from Pos Laju asking for an OTP (one-time password).
According to Michael Kong, a political secretary to Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Cheing Jen, Michael Kong, the victim known as Mr Lee received an anonymous phone call from someone who claimed to be from Pos Laju on Sunday (Feb 26).
When caller claimed that there was a package for him and asked for his bank’s OTP, Mr Lee sensed something was amiss and hung up.
“After the call, Mr Lee decided to check his account just to be sure and discovered that a whopping RM1 million had been brazenly withdrawned from his Maybank account without his approval and authorisation.
“According to his bank’s records, this was transferred to [national telco company], and he immediately called to lodge a complaint with the bank and lodged a police report,” Kong told reporters during a press conference held at the DAP headquarters here today.
Kong pointed out that this is not even a case where a bank account holder has downloaded malicious software (malware) but that the victim had merely answered a phone call.
Kong said the RM1 million was transferred out from Mr Lee’s bank account in two transactions of RM500,000 each without any OTP or notification sent to Mr Lee.
As such, he called on Maybank to provide a swift and satisfactory explanation on how such huge transactions could have happened without any OTP or notifications sent to the account owner.
“Furthermore, if one were to withdraw RM20,000 cash from his bank account over the counter, most banks nowadays will require the account holder to fill in forms and answer list of questions justifying the withdrawal of the RM20,000,” he added. — DayakDaily
