A retired government pensioner from Ipoh has fallen victim to a phone scam syndicate, losing more than RM1 million. The scammers, posing as officers from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the police, deceived the 67-year-old woman over a series of fraudulent interactions.
Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris shared details of the case, revealing that the woman lodged a police report in Taiping on Tuesday after realizing she had been scammed. The deception began in early August when she received a phone call on August 8 from a woman claiming to be an MCMC officer. The scammer falsely accused the victim of being involved in money laundering activities through her bank card.
The victim’s call was then transferred to another individual who identified himself as Sergeant Tan Keng Seng, purportedly a police officer. This so-called "Sergeant" offered assistance in resolving the issue, which he claimed was under police investigation. Over time, the victim was contacted by several other people pretending to be police officers. These individuals manipulated the retiree into following their instructions, which included placing her bank card in an envelope and leaving it at a location designated by the scammers.
The syndicate's elaborate deception continued when the victim began receiving notifications of withdrawals from her two bank accounts. These transactions occurred between August 16 and August 23, involving 75 separate withdrawals, amounting to a staggering RM476,550.
In addition to these fraudulent withdrawals, the victim was further coerced by two suspects into transferring more money from her bank accounts to a third-party account. These suspects assured her that the transfers were necessary for investigative purposes and to prevent her accounts from being frozen. They also promised that her money would be returned once the investigation was complete. Trusting them, the pensioner complied and made 24 transfers in nine separate transactions, totaling an additional RM590,000.
Azizi emphasized that after reviewing her financial statements, the woman discovered that she had lost a total of RM1.06 million. The case is now under investigation by the police, specifically under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which deals with cheating and fraud.
During a press conference held after the 2024 Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara (PJPN) award ceremony for the Perak contingent, Azizi provided further insight into the case. The event, which took place at the Banquet Hall of the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building, saw 247 recipients, including retired police officers and lower-ranking personnel, being honoured.
This unfortunate incident highlights the growing trend of phone scams, where criminals exploit unsuspecting victims by posing as authorities. In this case, the scam was carried out meticulously, convincing the victim to surrender her personal information and transfer her hard-earned money over a prolonged period. The police are actively investigating the matter and have urged the public to be cautious when receiving calls from unknown individuals, especially those claiming to be from government agencies.
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