SIBU: A university student found himself in a distressing situation, losing RM13,180 in an online part-time job scheme promising substantial commissions.
The incident happened on Oct 21 when the victim, a local in his 20s, was added to a WhatsApp group account ‘Wealth Wise Events Y12’, that offerred an online job with promises of a five per cent commission.
Eager to seize the opportunity, he engaged with the suspect, who directed him to complete a task by transferring money to a specified bank account.
Sibu police chief ACP Zulkipli Suhaili said the victim was assured not only the return of the money but also a commission.
“After completing the initial task and earning a commission of RM319.56, the student was prompted to undertake another assignment.
“On the following day (Oct 22), he transferred a sum of RM13,180 into three accounts to qualify for the promised commission, which would be credited to his account that same day,” he said.
However, it soon became apparent that the student had fallen victim to a scam when the promised commission failed to materialise.
The victim reported the incident to the police and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property.
In light of this, Zulkipli advised the public to exercise caution and not be swayed by job offers promising lucrative returns on social media platforms.
“It is essential to conduct thorough due diligence by verifying the legitimacy of such offers with the relevant companies or agencies before accepting them,” he said.
For guidance or additional information, the public can contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 or visit the Facebook pages @CyberCrimeAlertRMP and @JSJKPDRM.
Furthermore, it is advisable to verify bank accounts and phone numbers through the Semak Mule website – http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule/.
