ISKANDAR PUTERI: Taken in by his sweet promises, a 39-year-old woman from Johor gave a man she had befriended on Facebook, RM500,000.
Friends since September this year, the woman fell for the man, who claimed to be from Scotland.
Iskandar Puteri police chief Superintendent Noor Hashim Mohamad said in a statement today that the man became the woman’s boyfriend. The ‘boyfriend’ then arranged for her to meet with another man from Liberia.
Hashim said the Liberian man claimed to be a diplomat from the United Kingdom.
During the meeting, Hashim said the man had shown the victim a huge amount of US currencies as well as some Malaysian currencies. The Liberian man had managed to convince the woman that by purchasing a very expensive chemical to bleach the currencies, it will render them useful.
“The woman then distributed RM500,000 in several accounts to get the chemical.
“When the victim realised that it was a scam, she lodged a report on Dec 6,” said Noor Hashim.
So far, the police have arrested six Nigerians and a Liberian to facilitate investigations into the African Scam, also known as the Love Scam.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the penal code for cheating and inducing delivery of property, for which they can be liable to a maximum 10 years imprisonment, fine, or both, upon conviction.