KUCHING: Stampin MP, Chong Chieng Jen has urged the Sarawak Police Commissioner to give personal attention to a scam case involving a construction worker who lost his entire life savings of RM56,000 to fraudsters posing as police officers.
Chong said the victim, identified as Mr Chu, received a call on October 13 from a man claiming to be a police officer, using the number 013-657 8066. The caller told Mr Chu that his bank account had been misused by unauthorized persons and instructed him to transfer his savings to “Bank Negara” for investigation.
“In panic and fear, Mr Chu followed the instructions and went to a Bank Rakyat ATM to make the transfer. As he was unfamiliar with the process, the scammer guided him step by step over the phone,” Chong said.
Mr Chu first transferred RM30,000 to an RHB Bank account (No. 1040 7200 0411 73) on October 13, followed by another RM26,000 to a Maybank account (No. 1629 9104 8087) the next day.
“It was only after the second transfer that he realised something was wrong. He then sought help from a friend to lodge a police report on October 17,” Chong added.
However, the harassment did not stop there. The scammers continued to call and even sent WhatsApp messages with photos of a purported high-ranking police officer, urging him to make more transfers.
Chong said the victim later turned to him for assistance, prompting him to write to the Sarawak Police Commissioner to ensure the matter receives urgent attention.
“In all such scam cases, the transferred funds remain within the banking system and can be electronically traced and recovered. The scammers must withdraw the cash physically, which means there should be CCTV footage and transaction records at the banks involved,” he said.
“What puzzles me is how such large amounts can still be taken out of the banking system so easily without a trace. Are the banks failing to cooperate with one another in fighting scams? Once the money is transferred out, do they simply wash their hands of the matter?” Chong questioned.
He urged both the police and banks to enhance cooperation and response mechanisms to ensure victims’ losses can be promptly traced and recovered.
By Connie Chieng