KUALA LUMPUR: An online trader lost RM131,500 after losing her savings and racking up debt due to a phone call scam.
The victim, known as Lee, 46, said she received a phone call from an individual claiming to be from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) named Sergeant Albert Lai on Feb 8 telling her that the electricity supply for premises she owned in Terengganu would be terminated.
"I told them I never owned a property in Terengganu. Then the person on the line connected me to another individual claiming to be a police officer from Bukit Aman named Zul Ghaffar, who said I was involved in illegal money activities.
"He said I had to pay RM40,000 if I didn't want to be detained.
"Due to panic, I made a payment to a bank account owned by a man. Then on Feb 16, Sergeant Albert contacted me and asked me to pay a security deposit of RM20,000, which I deposited into two accounts.
"After making the second payment, he sent a letter allegedly from the High Court along with a payment receipt.
"From Feb 20 to Feb 28, I deposited a total of RM40,000 into four bank accounts owned by four individuals," she said during a press conference at the MCA office here today.
Lee said she was contacted by an individual claiming to be a police officer named Inspector Herman from March 18 to March 24 directing her to take out a personal loan with a bank supposedly for investigation purposes related to her case.
"Herman said the loan will help trace the mastermind using my name for illegal money activities and I will be able to sue the individuals involved.
"He claimed that I will receive a reward of RM200,000 once the investigation is complete.
"Without hesitation, I took out a personal loan of RM38,000 from the bank and deposited the money into an account as he instructed.
"I only realised I was deceived when I couldn't contact Mr Herman three days after the payment."
She lodged a report on the incident at the Kepong police station on May 14.
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department chief Datuk Seri Michael Chong said the department had received six cases of phone call scams involving losses totalling more than RM500,000 since January.
"The modus operandi of these scam syndicates hasn't changed much.
"Scammers will contact victims claiming to be from a bank or others before connecting the call to individuals claiming to be from the police, accusing them of being involved in illegal money activities and threatening them with court action or imprisonment.
"Despite the widely disseminated awareness messages about these scams from various parties, including the police, media and non-governmental organisations, many victims still fall prey to these syndicates.
"I advise the public not to entertain calls claiming to be from the authorities or any party whose authenticity is uncertain," he said at the press conference.