ALOR GAJAH: A woman lost RM224,600 after falling victim to a scammer posing as an insurance agent who claimed that her husband had submitted some false claims.
Alor Gajah police chief Superintendent Arshad Abu said the 58-year-old victim was with her husband, a former factory technician in Batu Berendam here, when he received a call from the scammer, who claimed to be an insurance agent, at 8.30am on Feb 14.
"When the call was received by her 61-year-old husband, both victims were at home in Kampung Pulau Durian Tunggal and the woman then spoke to the suspect, and denied that her husband had submitted a false insurance claim.
"Despite the denial, the call was transferred to a person who claimed he was a police officer, who urged the victim to lodge a report but was then told that her husband was involved in illegal money laundering and that an arrest warrant had been issued," he said in a statement today.
The woman then denied the money laundering claims but the fake police officer continued to badger her and asked her to provide their bank account information and savings balance.
On Feb 22, the woman was asked by the scammers to transfer all their money to her Bank Islam account for the purpose of the investigation but yesterday, she realised that the RM224,600 in her account had been transferred to a third-party account without her knowledge.
Arshad said the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud. -- BERNAMA