SEREMBAN: A retired teacher has lost RM1,824,714.83 to a Macau scam syndicate, the latest case in just a few months involving former teachers and millions of ringgit.
Like in many of the earlier cases, the caller had claimed that the victim was involved in money laundering here two months ago.
Negeri Sembilan Commercial Crime Investigation Department head Aibee Abd Ghani said the 66-year woman received a call from a man who introduced himself as “Sergeant Albert Lai” from the Pahang district police headquarters on Oct 28.
“The man claimed the victim was involved in an illegal money laundering and cheating case. Then on Oct 31, the victim received another call from a man who introduced himself as ‘Inspector Yong’ from Bukit Aman.
“Yong requested for the victim’s bank account details and instructed her to transfer all the money from her bank account to several other accounts for investigation purposes and asked the victim not to inform her family members.”
Aibee said the frightened victim then transferred all her savings, in stages, into the bank accounts provided by Yong.
“The victim only realised she was cheated after she told her son about it. She lodged a police report yesterday,” he said.
Her case is the latest in an astonishing list of retired teachers losing millions to Macau scammers.
On April 1, a man in his 60s lost RM2.9 million to Macau scammers in Pontian; on July 7, another 71-year-old retired teacher in Petaling Jaya was cheated of RM1.07 million and on Sept 16, a 64-year-old retired teacher said he lost RM500,000 in Johor Bahru.
More recently, on Oct 6, a 49-year-old woman in Kajang, also a retired teacher, lost RM1.13 million to the scammers while just three days on Dec 21, a former teacher in Penang reported that she was cheated of RM512, 316.
Meanwhile, in SUNGAI PETANI, a livestock breeder became RM202,909 poorer after he fell victim to a Macau scam syndicate member who told the victim that he had business tax arrears registered under his company on Monday.
Kedah Commercial Crime Investigation Department head Elias Omar said the 32-year-old man received a call from a woman who introduced herself as an officer from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
“The victim denied the matter and the call was subsequently connected to a man who claimed to be an inspector from the Pahang contingent police headquarters. The call was later connected to another man claiming to be a police officer with a Datuk title.
“The suspect then asked the victim to use his WhatsApp and open the link provided to fill in personal details for further investigation.
“Without further checks, the victim filled up his personal and company details. Later, he felt something was amiss and checked his company’s account bank balance.
“He found eight online transactions amounting RM202,909 were made to six different bank accounts.”