IPOH: A 72-year-old woman incurred losses totalling RM485,000 after falling victim to a phone call scam syndicate here.
Perak Police Chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the pensioner lodged a police report at 11.40am yesterday.
"Initial investigation revealed that on Aug 4, the victim was contacted by a man claiming that he had delivered a package that was not effectively delivered to the recipient.
"The suspect also further informed her that the package contained credit cards, identification card chips and ATM cards. However, the victim denied any involvement in the matter.
"Subsequently, the victim was connected to two individuals who posed as police officers, one from Ipoh and the other from Bukit Aman police headquarters," he said in a statement today.
Mohd Yusri said that the victim was duped by false accusations of involvement in human trafficking and money laundering cases, as well as arrest and imprisonment threats.
"In order to prevent her bank accounts from being seized or blocked, the victim complied with the suspect's instructions and transferred all of her money into the account he provided," he said.
Mohd Yusri stated that the suspect also promised to return the money once the investigation was complete and warned the victim not to disclose this information to anyone, ostensibly to avoid compromising the investigation.
"Between Aug 8 and Sept 6, the victim made 34 money transfers at ATM machines around the Kerian and Nibong Tebal districts in Penang, depositing the funds into 11 personal bank accounts.
"The victim did not realise she had been deceived until her nephew, who came to visit when she wanted to make the next money transfer, became suspicious of her actions. The victim then disclosed everything to her family and filed a police report," he said.
He said the case was investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, and the investigation is still ongoing.-- BERNAMA
