MIRI: A 60-year-old retiree lost her savings of RM36,000 to a Macau scam syndicate last Wednesday (July 8).
Her ordeal began after she received a telephone call around 9.30am that morning, from a man claiming to be a health officer in Petaling Jaya, telling her that she had defrauded the department (Health Department in Petaling Jaya) to get painkiller pills, flu and cough medicine.
The call was later connected to ‘Haris’, a police sergeant, disclosed Miri Police Chief ACP Lim Meng when contacted yesterday (July 10).
Haris claimed the victim was involved in drug trafficking activities and money laundering.
The victim was then threatened by another ‘police officer’, known as ‘Inspector Yong’, who wanted to arrest her at 1pm on July 8.
She was later contacted by another ‘police officer’ by the name of ‘Inspector Fauzi’ who offered to help her in the case by instructing the victim to transfer cash from her savings to two separate bank accounts.
Fearing arrest, she followed the instructions and deposited the cash into the accounts given.
The next day (July 9), after realising that she had been cheated, she lodged a police report.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years and whipping, and a fine.
