KUANTAN: A durian orchard owner was left RM204,706.00 poorer when he invested his earnings from durian sales in a Facebook scheme recently.
The 66-year-old man from Bentong was tricked into making payments to earn a promised RM500,000 profit.
Acting Pahang police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said on May 21, the victim was offered the opportunity to join an investment scheme through a Facebook application.
"The investment agent introduced the programme as 'Pimco Malaysia Station W68' and the victim was promised 100 per cent profit from his investment.
"The victim immediately transferred RM10,000 into a bank account provided by the agent.
"After several days, the agent contacted the victim saying he had earned RM500,000 profit and was required to make additional investments to get the profit.
"Eager to get his hands on the profit, the victim made six transactions amounting to RM194,000 into five separate bank accounts. The man had used the money earned from the sales of durian at his farm," he said, adding the man realised he had been duped after being pestered to invest more cash.
Noor Hisam said the victim lodged a police report yesterday and the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Noor Hisam reminded the public to verify account numbers at the official portal (https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my) and to remain vigilant, especially when it involves cash transactions.