32yo Woman Loses RM109,200 to Online Scam When Trying to Purchase 3 Laptops

The rise of the online world has also led to an increased number of elaborate and innovative online scams.

From fake job offers to love scams involving someone impersonating the Minister of Finance, the list goes on and on.

Recently, BERNAMA reported that a woman has lodged a police report claiming that she was a victim of an online scam and suffered losses amounting to RM109,200 for the purchase of 3 laptops.

Pahang Commercial Criminal Investigation Department head Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said that the 32-year-old woman claimed that she had made the purchase through a man via a given WhatsApp number after seeing an advertisement on the sale of the laptops on Instagram.

He explained that the victim had paid a deposit as required by the suspect before being instructed to transfer more money online to five different accounts for various payments, including delivery costs, activating the guarantee card, customs tax and to qualify her to participate in a lucky draw.

In total, the woman claimed she made payments in 15 transactions totalling to RM109,200.

Mohd Wazir said that the victim began to feel suspicious when the laptops she had ordered did not arrive after 2 weeks of making the payments. The suspect had even kept contacting her asking her to make even more payments.

The woman lodged a report at the Kuantan district police headquarters on Monday (31 January), and the police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

As always, stay safe and remain vigilant. If something seems suspicious, it probably is!

Also read: BEWARE: Malaysian Imposters Are Trying to Scam You Through Fake Job Offers On Instagram