LABUAN: A 30-year-old woman here thought that she had finally found true love via WeChat – only to be duped out of RM230,000.
Despite being aware of online love scams, the offshore operations clerk fell for the sweet words of a man claiming to be an AirAsia pilot who also ran a business.
After successfully wooing the woman and promising to marry her via text messages, the scammer told the victim that he was facing financial constraints and needed her help.
The victim obliged and made several banking transactions totalling RM230,000 into the suspect’s bank account.
Not long after receiving all the funds, the suspect left the WeChat conversation and blocked the woman’s number.
Finally realising that she had been duped, the woman immediately lodged a police report on Dec 8.
Labuan police chief Superintendent Muhamad Farid Ahmad said that based on a preliminary investigation, the suspect is a 27-year-old man from Kuala Penyu, Sabah.
He was arrested by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, with the help of members of the public, at 2.05pm on the same day at Kompleks Ujana Kewangan, here.
The suspect is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, and will be charged in court on Friday.