BATU PAHAT: A fisherman ended up RM113,000 poorer after falling for a non-existent foreign exchange investment scheme.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the 57-year-old victim's troubles began when he received a WhatsApp message from an unknown person offering him the opportunity to invest in the scheme.
Lured by the promise of lucrative returns with just an initial investment of RM520, the victim signed up for the scheme.
The victim was told that his investment had generated profits, though he would need to pay a fee to withdraw his money.
"Between Sept 16 and Oct 15, the victim transferred RM113,000 to eight different accounts to withdraw his profits," Shahrulanuar said in a statement.
Despite this, the fisherman still could not withdraw his profits and was asked to make a ninth transaction.
Suspecting something was amiss, the victim lodged a police report.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.