KUANTAN: A 37-year-old clerk was scammed of RM109,540 by a bogus investment scam syndicate.
The single mother fell victim to the scheme after being lured by promises of lucrative returns, only to realise the deception when pressured into making additional payments to access her supposed profits.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman revealed that the victim from Kuantan first encountered the Bitcoin investment opportunity on Instagram in March.
Enticed by the prospect of significant financial gains, she eagerly invested her own savings and borrowed from relatives and friends, funneling the substantial sum through 26 transactions across 15 different bank accounts associated with the fraudulent scheme.
"The investment agent had promised big returns prompting the victim to use her own savings and borrow from family members, and friends. She deposited RM109,540 through 26 transactions into 15 different bank accounts.
"The victim realised she had been cheated when the suspects began demanding various additional payments for the investment. The victim was assured that she can withdraw her profit after making the additional payments but she decided to lodge a police report yesterday," he said, adding the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
Yahaya advised members of the public not to entertain suspicious phone calls and conduct checks at https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my before carrying out any transaction.