JOHOR BARU: A 47-year-old factory supervisor lost RM1.04 million to an online business scam via TikTok.
The woman connected online with an individual in July via the social media platform, and their conversations later moved to the Line messaging application.
Johor police chief Datuk M. Kumar said the victim had been offered the opportunity to become an online agent selling baby formula with a guaranteed commission of up to 30 per cent.
However, she had to first purchase the products in advance.
She was told that her initial investment and commission would be paid out once online buyers placed their orders.
The victim was sceptical at first, but invested a small amount.
She received her capital with a 50 per cent commission, which convinced her that the scheme was legitimate.
Between late July and September, believing that more orders had been placed, she made online transfers totalling RM1.04 million to multiple bank accounts.
However, she was not paid any commission nor did she receive her capital.
The woman lodged a police report yesterday after her efforts to contact the individual proved futile.
All of the messages between them had also been deleted.
Kumar said the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of imprisonment between 1 and 10 years, whipping, and a possible fine, upon conviction
He also urged the public to be cautious of online schemes that promised high returns with little effort over a short period of time.