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KUANTAN – A retired teacher lost her lifetime savings after she was duped by a love scam syndicate out of RM472,941 to a non-existent money loan.
Pahang Commercial CID acting chief Yap Huat Tian said the 65-year-old victim claimed she was dealing with three money-lending companies she knew on the internet since last February because she intended to take a loan of RM2.5 million.
“The victim claimed that the money was to help her male friend, a US citizen, who was facing a business problem rendering him unable to pay his workers and business tax.
“The man allegedly asked for the victim’s assistance with a promise to repay the money after he had successfully sold his father’s assets,” Yap said in a statement today.
He said the victim claimed that she had been contacted by individuals claiming to be the agents of the credit companies instructing her to deposit money into account numbers given to her for various excuses, including to activate the account to transfer the loan.
The woman took pity on her male friend, he said, as she made 49 financial transactions into the accounts given by the suspects before realising she had been cheated.
This was because her loan was still not approved although she had exhausted her savings in making the transactions as ordered, he said.
“The victim claimed she was also threatened by a suspect when she said did not want to continue with the loan application after doubting the authenticity of the companies. The victim eventually lodged a report at the Bentong police station yesterday,” he said.
Yap said the investigation is being conducted under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail and caning and a fine, if found guilty.
He also urged the public against being easily cheated by advertisements for money-lending services on the internet, and to deal with licensed lending companies instead to avoid getting duped. – Bernama, May 22, 2022