KUCHING: A retiree continues to live in fear after being placed under intense duress surveillance for three weeks by an elaborate scam syndicate.
At a press conference, SUPP Public Complaints Bureau Chief Milton Foo said despite a police report lodged and assurance that it is a scam, the victim aged 70 is still in fear.
Foo urged members of the public to stay vigilant after the victim narrowly escaped losing her life savings to fraudsters posing as WeChat officials and Chinese police officers.
Foo said the victim first received a call from Shenzhen, where a woman claimed she had registered a second WeChat account linked to a fraudulent travel company. The call was then diverted to a supposed police officer in Hangzhou.
“Through a video call, the officer appeared in full uniform in what looked like a police office. He even addressed the retiree affectionately as ‘Auntie,’ and claimed she was wanted for a RM2.6 million fraud case,” Foo explained.
He said the scammers then pressured the victim into giving her IC details, signing a secrecy agreement, and submitting to constant surveillance via Zoom for three weeks. They later demanded RM200,000 as bail to avoid detention in China.
“Fortunately, when the focus shifted entirely to money, she realised it was a scam. She sought legal advice and reported the case to the Malaysian police,” Foo said, adding that he has advised the victim to lodge a formal report.
Foo cautioned that international syndicates are becoming more sophisticated, using video calls, fake offices, and even uniforms to deceive unsuspecting victims.
“No police authority will ever demand bail or fines over video calls. Once money is transferred, it is almost impossible to recover. I urge the public, especially retirees, to be extremely cautious and to verify any suspicious calls with the local police immediately,” he stressed.
By Connie Chieng