Woman is cheated of RM77,000

IPOH: This Chinese New Year has been a bitter one for 80-year-old Ng Kam Moi after she was cheated out of her life savings of RM77,000.

Ng, a former government hospital attendant who lives in Tanjung Rambutan, said she was told to withdraw her fixed deposit by a man in his 30s so that she could open another bank account offering higher interest rates. The Feb 9 incident has caused Ng to lose sleep and appetite.

Relating her ordeal, Ng – who is blind in one eye and has blurry vision in the other eye – said it all started on Feb 3 when her former water filter agent introduced her to a man to get a new set of filter.

She said the man who drove a blue BMW had fixed a set of new water filter costing RM7,000 for her, and after that, he started coming frequently to the house on the pretext of servicing the machine and being concerned about her well-being.

“On Feb 9, he came to my house to take me to buy new furniture and saw my fixed deposit certificate. He told me to bring the certificate along.

“He convinced me that I should withdraw the money from my current bank and open an account at a different bank that offered higher interest rates,” she told a press conference organised by MCA Ipoh Timur vice-chairman Kat Wong here yesterday.

Ng added that the man then took her inside the bank to withdraw the money, and when the officer placed the amount on the table, he took the money and put it inside a bag.

She said he then drove her to another location stating that it was a different bank and that there was no need for her to go inside as his friend is a bank manager, and he would come outside to take her signature.

“My eyesight is really bad, and I can hardly see anything. I know a man came to the car, I signed the documents, and a few minutes later, I was handed back an envelope where my certificate is usually kept.

“Thinking nothing of it, I kept the envelope, and only realised later that it was empty, and the man nowhere to be found,” she said.

“Chinese New Year reunion was spent at the (Sungai Senam) police station giving my report,” said Ng, who receives a monthly RM400 pension.

She is usually alone at home in the mornings as her son and daughter-in-law are at work, and her university-going grandson is usually in his room attending online classes.

Wong hoped that people will not simply allow people into their homes, and added that it would also be good if bank officers could be more vigilant when senior citizens come to withdraw a large sum of money.

“The bank could also contact a family member to confirm if they are in the know if their parents are withdrawing such huge amounts.

“The police are carrying out their investigations, and I am really hoping the culprit will be caught soon,” she added.