By DayakDaily Team
MIRI, Jan 8: A local woman in her early 40s suffered losses amounting to RM270,800 after falling victim to a love scam involving a man who claimed to be a United Kingdom national.
Miri District Police Chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah confirmed that the Commercial Crime Investigation Division (BSJKD) Miri received a police report on Jan 7, 2026 regarding the case.
According to police, the victim became acquainted with the suspect in October 2025 through Facebook. The man introduced himself as Kenneth Liu Zhang and later continued communicating with the victim via WhatsApp. He told the victim that he would travel to Malaysia to meet her on Dec 22, 2025.
On the same day, the victim received a phone call from a woman claiming to be a customs officer, who alleged that the suspect had been detained at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for carrying cash exceeding the permitted limit. The caller instructed the victim to make payments to secure the suspect’s release.
“Following the suspect’s instructions, the victim carried out 37 staged money transfers into several bank accounts.
“She later realised she had been scammed when the requests for payments continued with various unreasonable excuses,” Farhan said.
Police said investigations are being conducted under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, led by Investigating Officer Inspector Sisim Abd Samad.
Farhan advised the public to remain vigilant when interacting with individuals on social media platforms and to avoid disclosing personal information.
He also urged people to be cautious of calls from unknown numbers and to verify information with relevant authorities.
Members of the public who have just made financial transfers linked to suspected scams are encouraged to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 immediately. Phone numbers and bank accounts can also be checked via the CCID Check Scammers service or the Semak Mule website before making any financial transactions.
For further advice or to provide information on online crime, the public may contact the CCID Infoline at 013-211 1222 via WhatsApp or SMS. – DayakDaily
