By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, March 10: A 47-year-old woman from Miri lost RM556,042 in a love scam.
Sarawak police commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said police received the report from the victim on March 8 saying that she had known the suspect, who is a businessman from Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, through Instagram.
On Feb 3, the suspect informed the victim that he would fly to Turkiye and said he was having financial problems managing his business and wanted to take a loan from the victim.
“The victim gave the money to the suspect through 48 online transactions into seven different bank accounts from Jan 31 to Feb 3, 2023, amounting to RM556,042,” he told a press conference at the Sarawak Contingent Police headquarters today.
He said the victim realised she was deceived after the suspect could not be contacted on March 4.
Meanwhile, Mohd Azman said a 64-year old man from Serian was also duped of RM100,300 through a phone scam on March 8.
He said the victim received a phone call from the suspect, who claimed to be a police officer from Kedah, informing the victim that he was involved in laundering and drug cases.
After that, he continued, the suspect contacted the victim through WhatsApp, introducing himself as Dato Hasanuddin Hassan, who later told the victim to reveal his banking details.
“On the same day, the victim also made five transactions to three bank accounts totalling RM60,300.
“After that, the victim made an online banking check on BSN and found that there had been a money transfer to a third-party account involving four transactions to two bank accounts amounting to RM40,000,” he said.
Mohd Azman said all phone and love scam cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
“Between Jan 1 and March 7, the Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department recorded 33 scam call cases involving losses amounting to RM1,803,361.87, while in the same period last year, police only recorded eight cases involving RM140,740,” he said. — DayakDaily
