KUALA TERENGGANU: A 47-year-old businesswoman fell victim to a phone scam, incurring a loss of RM202,400, to perpetrators who disguised themselves as representatives from a courier company and the police.
Terengganu police chief, Datuk Mazli Mazlan, revealed that in early February, the woman was contacted by the impostors and informed that she was implicated in a money laundering and drug-related crime.
He added that the scammers coerced the victim into divulging her online banking account information, including her password.
“She was then instructed to make several fund transfers to a specified account and wait for three months for the investigation to be concluded before regaining access to her bank account,” he said in a statement today.
The ruse was only discovered by her family members, after which she found her bank balance reduced by RM202,400, with 35 unauthorised transactions taking place without her knowledge.
Realising she had been deceived, the victim reported the incident to the police on February 28.
Mazli emphasised the importance of public awareness, cautioning individuals not to be swayed by calls from unfamiliar numbers and to terminate such calls if they feel apprehensive or suspicious.
He further advised against disclosing banking information to unknown individuals, stressing the prevalence of scams and the need for vigilance in dealing with unsolicited communications.
