JOHOR BARU: A 71-year-old retiree lost RM202,800 after she was duped by a scammer impersonating as a Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) officer.
Johor police chief Commissioner Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the victim lodged a report on Saturday (July 15), claiming that she received a text message notification on her mobile phone alerting her of RM110,000 charges on her credit card.
Concerned, the victim called the number stated on the text message, and it was answered by a woman claiming to be a BNM officer.
It is learnt that the victim was told by the "BNM officer" that her bank account would be frozen and action taken against her as they suspected she was in cohorts with scammers. The "bank officer" also told her that a police report was lodged against her.
However, she was convinced by the "BNM officer" that a senior police officer from the federal police could assist her, given the fact she was a senior citizen and that the officer pitied her.
The call was then transferred to a police officer, by the name of Inspector Loh Thee How.
The man impersonating the police officer said he would assist her in retrieving the RM110,000 charged to her credit card. He then asked for her bank account details for the amount to be credited into her account.
During the tele-conversation with the "inspector" the retiree revealed her RHB Bank account details to him.
Kamarul Zaman said between July 13 and 14, five transfers amounting to RM202,800 from the victim's RHB account to accounts in CIMB and Hong Leong bank were made.
It is believed that the victim was duped by a phone scammer syndicate who impersonated bank and police officers.
Their modus operandi was to instil fear by accusing the victim of being in cohorts with scammers and may face prosecution. They would claim that the amount transferred or charged was actually made to a bank account which has been identified as a mule scammer's account.
The syndicate members will then offer to help the victim, and ask for the bank details, in order to bank-in the amount taken or charged.
Kamarul Zaman said the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and deceiving for financial gains, which carries an imprisonment penalty of up to 10 years, whipping, and a fine.