TELUK INTAN: A 64-year-old housewife fell victim to phone scammers for a second time in three years when she lost RM98,000 of her savings.
In the latest case, the woman transfered the amount to people pretending to be policemen, who claimed that she was involved in a money laundering case.
Hilir Perak district police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Adnan Basri said the victim lodged a police report here at 9.38pm on Wednesday.
"The victim received a call from a 'policeman' who introduced himself as Assistant Superintendent Firdaus, informing that she was involved in a money laundering case involving an amount of RM1.5 million.
"For the investigation, the victim was connected to another phone call from the 'Ipoh district police headquarters' and she talked to another man who introduced himself as Sergeant Mokhtar who was responsible to investigate the victim," Adnan said in a statement today.
He added that on Aug 2, the victim was told to transfer all her savings from Tabung Haji and Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) to two local financial institutions. She transfered RM98,000 to the accounts for the purpose of investigation and she was told that she would get her money back once the investigation was completed.
"On Aug 13, the victim was contacted by ASP Firdaus again who urged the victim to make a payment of RM15,000 for her to get her money back.
"The victim who had run out of her savings failed to do so and immediately lodged a police report," he said, adding the case is investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Adnan said this was the second time the housewife fell victim to scammers using the same modus operandi as she had lost RM30,000 of her savings on Sept 2020.