A 64-year-old man in Miri was conned out of over RM1.17 million in a sophisticated social media romance scam, with police investigating the case as cheating
MIRI: A 64-year-old man has lost more than RM1.17 million after falling victim to an elaborate love scam conducted on social media.
Miri police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the victim first received a message via TikTok before communication moved to WhatsApp.
Investigations revealed the suspect posed as a foreign national using stolen photos and edited documents to build trust.
“The suspect claimed to be managing an approved exploration project but said he was facing issues with his bank account being blocked or hacked,” Mohd Farhan said in a statement.
He then requested financial assistance from the victim for down payments and project costs, promising repayment in US dollars.
Swayed by these assurances, the victim carried out 59 transactions to nine different third-party bank accounts.
The total amount transferred was RM1,173,700 before the scam was uncovered.
The deception only came to light after the victim discussed the matter with family members, who advised him to lodge a police report.
The case is now being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
