Perak man loses RM107,000 to Bank Negara staff impersonator

BATU GAJAH: A man here lost over RM107,000 after he was duped by a Macau Scam syndicate into believing that he had outstanding credit card debts.

The 45-year-old contractor was at home in Kampung Baharu Chenderoh here, when he received a phone call from a man who introduced himself as 'Mr Lai', purportedly a Bank Negara officer, via the number 03-9416 5679.

'Mr Lai' told the victim that there had been a transaction on an Ambank credit card in his name amounting to RM11,188.35 for the purchase of goods from Lazada, but the victim denied it.

"The call was then supposedly connected to the money laundering division of Bukit Aman, and the victim spoke to a woman named Than Kok Hwa who told him that his credit card account had been misused and he was required to appear at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

"The victim informed the caller that he had two accounts, namely, an Ambank account and a Hong Leong Bank account, before he was directed to go to the automatic teller machines (ATM) of both banks," said Batu Gajah district police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Adnan Basri.

He said the victim did as he was told, before later realising that the balance in both his accounts had been reduced by RM107,996.95.

Ahmad Adnan said that the victim made a police report at the Batu Gajah police station at about 6.15pm yesterday; and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. - Bernama