Housewife in Kanowit loses over RM126,000 to love scam

KANOWIT: A housewife endured an expensive heartbreak after losing over RM126,000 of her savings after being deceived by a ‘love scam’ syndicated through social media.
 
The 45-year-old victim befriended a sweet-talking man, allegedly from the United States, on Facebook in early January of this year.
 
Kanowit district police chief DSP Tega Bilong said the victim met a man who introduced himself as James Chong.
 
“The victim, in her report, said that the suspect promised her a gift from abroad in the form of jewellery and US dollar cash that would be sent by post,” he said in a statement today (March 18).
 
Tega noted that a few days later the complainant was contacted by a suspect who introduced himself from the cargo side on the grounds that he needed to make a “clearance” payment of tax as the contents of the package contained jewellery and a lot of cash.
 
Based on trust, he said, the woman had made payments in 13 transactions from January 20 to March 7 into a local bank account, amounting to RM126,320.
 
“Realising belatedly that she had been conned when her call was blocked, the woman lodged a police report here on March 9,” he said.
 
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.