With the high number of scams and frauds being reported, you would think that the public is now more aware of them, hence not fall prey to them. Alas, we are only human and will make mistakes from time to time.
Last month, a Form Six student lost a total of RM22,300 including inheritance money from her late mother, when she got scammed by a lucrative offer of a non-existent investment scheme on Telegram.
How the scam works
Pahang Police Chief Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said, the victim, who is a 19-year-old teenage girl, on 14 December 2022 paid RM1,000 as capital to obtain an identification number and password to the investment website.
She was lured with the promise of a handsome return within just three hours.
“The victim claimed that checks on the website revealed that she had gained a return of RM16,000 but had to make some additional payments before she could withdraw the money, causing her to use the inheritance,” said Ramli in a statement today.
According to Sinar Harian, this led the victim to make a payment total of RM22,300 through a few transactions.
Realising that she had been scammed
After failing to get the promised money, the victim realised that the investment scheme did not exist and that she had been scammed.
Consequently, she lodged a report at the Bera District Police Headquarters yesterday (January 1, 2023).
“The case is being investigated according to Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating,” he explained.
Be careful
In the meantime, the Pahang Police Contingent advises the public not to easily believe in investments that promise lucrative returns in a short amount of time.
“If you want to make an investment, you can check or get information from the Royal Malaysian Police agency, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living as a preventive measure against being a victim of non-existent investment,” he said.
Please be careful, everyone! If it feels too good to be true, it probably is!
