By DayakDaily Team
MIRI, Oct 1: A 66-year-old retired private sector worker in Miri has lost a staggering RM2.24 million after falling victim to a sophisticated phone scam syndicate.
Miri District Police Chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah confirmed that the case was reported to the Miri Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) on Sept 30.
He said the victim had received a phone call from an unknown number claiming to be from Touch ’n Go, alleging that she was linked to an online fraud syndicate.
“The call was then transferred to a person posing as a police officer from the Penang Contingent Police Headquarters.
“The suspect instructed the victim to withdraw all her savings, including her Employees Provident Fund (EPF), and hand them over through various methods, including bank counter transfers, online transfers, and cash, supposedly for investigation purposes,” he said in a statement today.
The victim, believing the instructions to be genuine, complied. Part of the money was even collected in person by an unknown man in a secluded area.
Only after making her own checks and verifications did she realise she had been duped. Her entire financial resources, made up of savings and pension funds, were wiped out.
Police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of between one and ten years, caning, and a fine.
Mohd Farhan urged the public to be extra vigilant against scam tactics that impersonate authorities or financial institutions.
“Do not entertain suspicious calls and always verify with official channels before making any transactions,” he urged. — DayakDaily
