SERI ALAM: A 49-year-old widow was left devastated after falling victim to a phone scam, losing the RM300,000 pension she had received following her husband's death.
On Nov 15, she received a call from a man claiming to be a senior police officer with the title "Datuk" from Bukit Aman's intelligence unit.
The caller told her that she was being investigated for alleged involvement in money laundering and drug trafficking.
He claimed that her MyKad copy had been found on a man arrested in connection with these crimes and that a warrant for her arrest had been issued.
However, the fraudster offered her the option to have her name removed from the investigation in exchange for a fee.
Fearing the consequences, the woman agreed and made six separate cash transfers totalling RM300,000 between Nov 21 and 26 to a bank account provided by the scammer.
The man instructed her to report her movements regularly, destroy all evidence of the transactions, including bank slips, and keep the entire matter secret, especially from her children.
She followed these instructions to the letter.
It wasn't until one of her children showed her a video about similar scams that she realised she had been deceived. She immediately lodged a police report.
District police chief Superintendent Mohd Sohaimi Ishak confirmed that investigations were underway to identify the holder of the bank account, which is believed to be a mule account.
"Action will also be taken against the mule account holder," he said in a statement today.
Sohaimi also urged the public to be vigilant against such scams, emphasising that law enforcement
agencies would never ask for personal financial information or cash transfers over the phone.
"Always verify the caller's identity and contact the nearest police station if you are in doubt. Scammers often use fear tactics to exploit their victims," he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, whipping, and a fine upon conviction.
Police have also advised the public to share information about ongoing scams with friends and family to prevent others from falling victim to similar schemes.