Penang retiree lost almost RM2 million in Macau scam

BALIK PULAU, 6 Aug 2020:

A retiree suffered losses amounting to RM1.84 million after she was duped by a Macau Scam syndicate claiming she was involved in money laundering, here, recently.

Southwest district police chief, Supt A.A. Anbalagan said the 76-year-old woman received a phone call on June 5 from a man who identified himself as Adam Wong – who claimed to be from customer service of Pos Laju in Kuala Lumpur and informed her that there was a package sent by her from Kepong to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

“The victim, who lives in Bukit Jambul, was told the package contained a blue identity card and eight bank debit cards.

“The victim denied it and the scammer then advised her to lodge a police report at the Sabah contingent police headquarters and that he would assist the victim to do so.

“Then the woman received calls from three men who claimed to be police officers and from their investigation, that she was involved in money laundering to the tune of RM1.48 million,” he said in a statement today.

Anbalagan said the woman became frightened and followed the suspect’s instructions, including transferring her savings from her Tabung Haji and Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) accounts as well as money inherited from her late mother, into several bank accounts given by the suspect.

“Since June 23, the victim deposited a cheque for RM790,000 into an enterprise’s account followed by two cheques for RM300,000 into a construction company’s account and another two cheques for RM350,000 allegedly for investigation purposes by police and Bank Negara Malaysia.”

Anbalagan said a man claiming to be a police officer, with the rank of ASP, also told the woman she needed to pay a bond of RM1 million – failing which, she would be arrested and remanded under a money laundering case.

He said the woman then banked in two more cheques for a total of RM400,000 into a company’s account on July 13 and 22 after selling her jewellery and borrowing money from her siblings.

“At her wits’ end, as she had no money left, she asked for help from her daughter in Kuala Lumpur. The daughter was surprised, knowing that the victim had money. The woman then related what had happened and they then lodged a police report last Tuesday after realising that she had been cheated.”

The case is being investigated to identify the syndicate members and bank account owners.

– Bernama