PENAMPANG: A 46-year-old assistant manager with a private company in Kota Kinabalu realised she was a love scam victim only after she had made transactions amounting to RM2.5 million.
She made 41 transactions to 24 different local accounts over the course of two months since May 26 and decided to lodge a report on Wednesday.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the divorcee was approached on Instagram by the scammer who went under the guise of Ji Won, a Korean national.
“The suspect claimed to be having some problems with his oil and gas company in Italy.
“She began transferring the money just after two weeks of being wooed by the suspect through WhatsApp,” he told a press conference, Thursday.
Jauteh said such cases are caused by failure to contain emotions which leads to irrational thinking.
“If he (suspect) was Korean then surely they won’t be using local bank accounts…we are tracing the account owners.
“Action can be taken under Section 424 Penal Code for dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of consideration,” he said.
Jauteh said the usual excuse would be that “the account is being used by another individual or company”.
“You can say that many of these account owners come from poverty. They are never involved in the actual scam. It’s seemingly harmless to let their bank accounts be used but they are being involved in a much bigger case.
“We can freeze the accounts but there is no point because all the money had already been transferred out,” he said.
He said if only the victim had immediately reported the matter, then maybe the banks can still block the account. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
Referring to an older case involving a Kota Kinabalu lawyer who lost thousands, Jauteh said even educated professionals fall into the trap.
“Don’t be lured by attractive profile pictures, don’t easily trust sweet words and promises, always be careful of whom you accept as friends especially if they are from another country. Never give money to strangers online,” he said.
