We’ve all read about scams where the victims were hypnotised and had their bank accounts cleared out by unscrupulous individuals. It’s a very common tactic and we’ve also sworn not to fall prey to such scams, but it’s actually easier said than done.
Last Friday (29 March), a netizen shared how her mother was scammed at a busy morning market and how her multiple bank accounts were cleared out after being approached by a young man. It was understood that the incident took place at a market in Section 17 where the victim was buying breakfast and doing her grocery shopping.
Image for illustration purposes only | Source: May’s Foodscapades
Surprisingly, the hustle and bustle of the morning market did not deter the conman from preying on the victim. Here’s what happened.
“My mother was approached by a smartly-dressed young man in braces with a young girl beside him. The Mandarin-speaking man introduced himself as Alan and gave her an ang pau. She opened it and found a coupon for a RM200 cash reward.”
“Alan handed her the cash and told her about an exciting new investment scheme endorsed by Bank Negara and another bank that guarantees 10 times of investment returns.”
The victim was told that the promotion was for a limited time only and urged to invest by the end of the day so that she would not lose out on such a great deal. Hearing this, she quickly drove home to collect her Fixed Deposit slips with Alan and another accomplice.
She ended up driving to four different banks to withdraw all her fixed deposits prematurely. Since Alan was by her side at every bank, some concerned bank employees asked her the reason for withdrawing such a huge amount of money and she told them it was for a renovation. The last stop was at RHB Bank in Sea Park, according to the netizen.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Mypj
“Alan had reminded her to say that he was her grandson if anyone asked. She described that her energy got drained and she felt weaker with every bank she visited that afternoon. By the end of the day, she had collected a stack of withdrawal slips with huge sums of cash piled in plastic bags.”
“Alan told her he will now proceed to deposit her cash, and took with him one of her bank slips to prove to the bank that she was the account holder. The moment Alan took the cash and walked away, she vomited. She was still in her car, felt sleepy and closed her eyes. When she opened them, Alan had not returned,” the netizen added.
Seeing how her mother trusted a stranger completely and how unusual her behaviour was, the daughter believed that her mother may have been put under some spell by Alan but was unsure whether it was caused by the ang pau or a charm. It was understood that the fixed deposits were her life savings and a police report has been lodged on the same night but thankfully, she was not physically harmed.
Hopefully, the CCTVs at the bank can provide clear footage to the police so that the culprits can be caught, and we pray for the victim’s money to be recovered as it was her life savings. Stay safe guys!
Also read: M’sian Shares How She Was Almost Hypnotised By Stranger Who Approached Her in Mid Valley
