SIBU: A retired nanny was left devastated after she fell for an elaborate love scam, resulting in a loss of RM67,650.
The heart-breaking episode unfolded when the victim in her 50s, became acquainted with a man named James Huong on Facebook in mid-2020.
In a cruel twist of fate, what began as a seemingly innocent online encounter transformed into a nightmare for her.
Sibu police chief ACP Zulkipli Suhaili said the suspect who portrayed himself as an American architect and a devoted single father, managed to win the victim’s trust with his persuasive charm and false promises of a future together.
As the bond between them grew stronger, the suspect skilfully manipulated the victim’s emotions, painting a vivid picture of their life as a couple, pledging his intention to marry her and left her yearning for a love she believed was genuine.
“On Oct 27 last year, the victim was to cover the school fees for the suspect’s child in the United States, with the suspect citing his ongoing work commitments on the Coast as the reason for his inability to make the payment himself.
“Overwhelmed by affection and sympathy, the victim agreed to part with RM7,000, swayed by the promises of reimbursement.
“Later in May this year, the victim was promised a lavish gift in the form of USD, which got her eagerly anticipating the arrival of the promised gift,” he said.
The victim’s excitement turned to disappointment as she discovered that the funds were nowhere to be found in her account.
Zulkipli stated that the suspect had fabricated a tale of account troubles, insisting that the process required special approval from Bank Negara.
“Desperate to fulfil her lover’s wishes, the victim was coaxed into making a series of payments to facilitate the supposed money transfer.
“From May 11 to Aug 4, the victim dutifully complied with the suspect’s demands and transferred a sum of RM67,650 into seven local bank accounts via 25 transactions,” he said.
However, the cruel reality of the situation was brought to light when a concerned relative reprimanded the victim and told her that she had been cheated by the suspect.
The victim then came forward on Aug 5 to report to the Sibu Commercial Crime Investigation Division (CCID) and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
In this regard, police have again advised the public to be wary of online or new acquaintances, who want to establish friendship or relationship on social media sites, especially those who promise gifts as tokens of love.
