JOHOR BARU: A store manager and an elderly woman have fallen victim to separate scams, resulting in a combined loss of over one million ringgit in the past few months, according to police.
The store manager, a 46-year-old private sector employee, was cheated of RM624,447.76 in a part-time job offer scam online about four months ago, said Seri Alam District Police chief Superintendent Mohd Sohaimi Ishak.
The manager responded to an advertisement for a part-time job involving hotel reservations via a website, promising high returns and commission, he said.
Mohd Sohaimi said the man commenced the job on August 29, following instructions from the website's customer service.
"Initially pleased with the commissions received, the manager executed 26 payment transactions totalling RM624,447.76.
"Doubts arose when he encountered difficulties withdrawing the promised commissions, and the website became inaccessible. He lodged a police report yesterday (November 28)," Mohd Sohaimi said in a statement today (November 29).
In a separate statement, Mohd Sohaimi said the 78-year-old woman lost RM420,000 after being deceived into channelling funds into an online investment scheme promising profits.
He said the woman had been enticed by a Facebook advertisement promoting the scheme in September.
"Between October and November 20, she conducted several payment transactions amounting to RM420,000 into four accounts.
"Suspicions arose when the promised profits failed to materialise," he said.
Mohd Sohaimi said the two cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, pertaining to fraud. --BERNAMA