KUCHING: A police report has been lodged by a local man in his 60s, a retired private sector employee, who fell victim to a phone scam and lost more than RM450,000.
Sarawak Commissioner of police, Dato Mancha Ata said during mid-June this year, the victim received a call from an unknown individual claiming that he was entitled to a health insurance policy from KPJ Damansara while at home. The call was later transferred to another suspect who impersonated a police officer, alleging that the victim was involved in a money laundering case linked to a politician.
Days later, the victim was contacted again, this time by a woman who posed as an investigator. She told the victim that an investigation was ongoing and ordered him to follow instructions while keeping the matter a secret.
Mancha said under the suspects’ manipulation, the victim made several bank transactions amounting to over RM450,000 into accounts provided by the scammers. The victim only realised he had been deceived after coming across a news article describing a similar scam case.
Mancha reminded the public to remain cautious and not to trust unknown callers, especially those claiming to be from government agencies, banks, or law enforcement.
“Members of the public must always verify with the relevant authorities before making any financial transactions. Do not panic or follow instructions blindly when pressured over the phone. Scammers use fear to trick victims into giving away their money,” he said.
By Connie Chieng