SIBU: A woman’s hopes to earn more with a part-time job were dashed when she ended up losing more than RM48,000 to an online job scam.
Sibu Police Chief ACP Zulkipli Suhaili said the 30-something sales assistant claimed that on June 10, she came across a Facebook advertisement for a vacant position posted on the Sibu Job Vacancy page.
“Captivated by the enticing offer, she promptly engaged with the suspect and received a link that was meant to provide her with an ‘ID’ to commence her tasks,” he said in a statement today (June 25).
Zulkipli said that under the guise of employment, the victim was assigned 28 tasks, which she diligently carried out in hopes of receiving the promised commissions.
She proceeded to make 12 separate deposits totalling RM48,687.19 to seven different local bank accounts as instructed on June 11.
“However, up until the time of reporting, the victim did not receive any of the promised commissions and realised she had been deceived,” he said.
Zulkipli stated that the case is now under investigation under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which deals with cheating.
In light of this incident, the public has been urged to exercise caution and scepticism when encountering lucrative job offers on social media platforms.
“They are advised to thoroughly investigate and verify the background of companies or agencies before committing to any job offers,” he said.
People can check with the online verification service provided by the CCID through their website, http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule/. This service enables users to verify suspicious bank accounts and phone numbers.
For additional advice and information, the public can contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 and follow the official Facebook pages of @CyberCrimeAlertRMP and @JSJKPDRM.
