A 52-year-old private-sector employee in Pontian lost RM1.15 million to an online investment scam after befriending a woman on WhatsApp in January
PONTIAN: A private-sector employee lost RM1.15 million after falling victim to an online investment scam operated by a syndicate.
Pontian District Police Chief Supt Hadzrat Hussein Mion Hussain said police received a report from the 52-year-old man yesterday, with preliminary investigations finding that the incident began in early January after he got acquainted with a woman via WhatsApp.
He said the woman, who introduced herself as ‘Farini’, offered an investment scheme purportedly capable of providing returns of up to 15 per cent of the capital invested.
“The victim made an initial transaction of RM5,000 on Feb 8 to a bank account provided as a trial and subsequently received RM5,877.65, which was said to be the investment return.
“Convinced by the investment, the victim subsequently made several more transactions to several bank accounts in stages until March 26, 2026, involving a total of RM1,151,621.96,” he said in a statement today.
Hadzrat Hussein said the victim only realised he had been duped after being asked to make an additional payment to enable him to withdraw the investment profits.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
