Lecturer loses RM331,000 to scammers posing as Padu officer and cops

South Johor Bahru police chief Raub Selamat said the incident happened after a man masquerading as a central database hub (Padu) officer informed the victim she had received assistance amounting to RM1,200.

JOHOR BAHRU: A lecturer has reported losing RM331,000 in a phone scam.

South Johor Bahru police chief Raub Selamat said the 49-year-old woman received a call in early May from a man masquerading as a central database hub (Padu) officer, informing her that she had received assistance amounting to RM1,200.

This was followed up by a call from a man posing as an officer from Perak police who accused her of involvement in money laundering. The victim denied this accusation.

“After that, the victim received a call from someone with the title ‘Datuk’ who pretended to be an officer from the same police contingent who instructed her to transfer her money for security purposes to enable an investigation to be carried out.

“The victim made 13 transactions to several local accounts amounting to RM331,000 from June 9 to July 26,” Raub said in a statement today.

He said the victim tried to contact the callers after the payment was made but found that the telephone line had been blocked.

She realized she had been duped and made a police report yesterday.

In another incident, Seri Alam police chief Sohaimi Ishak said a couple lost RM120,000 after being tricked by a call from a bogus policeman on July 17.

Sohaimi said the couple, both aged 56, received a phone call from the police officer posing as a member of the anti-money laundering unit (or Amla), claiming their bank accounts were involved in scam activities.

He managed to persuade the two retirees to make 17 transactions through automated teller machines to three different accounts, totaling RM120,000, on Monday.

“The payment was presumably for ‘financial audit verification’.

“The couple realized they had been cheated after the contact number they were given was blocked. “They lodged a police report yesterday.”