A 60-year-old insurance agency manager from Bentong lost nearly RM695,000 to an online investment scam, despite initially receiving a RM900 return that convinced her to commit further funds.
The incident began on 2 April when the woman was lured via a Facebook advertisement by an individual using the name “Carmen Lee”.
The suspect claimed to represent a company known as ‘Penunjuk Arah Kekayaan Malaysia’ and instructed the victim to download an application called ‘NB Plus’, where she registered using her personal details.
Pahang Deputy Police Chief Datuk Azry Akmar Ayob said the victim was persuaded to make her first investment of RM5,000 on 17 April and soon received a return of RM900, which boosted her confidence in the scheme.
“Encouraged by the early profit, the victim went on to make 22 transactions totalling RM695,000, using both her personal savings and funds borrowed from friends,” Azry said in a statement on Monday.
He added that the victim attempted to withdraw her investment and purported profits last Friday, only to be told that withdrawals were only permitted on working days.
“This aroused suspicion and led the victim to realise she had been scammed. She subsequently lodged a report at the Bentong District Police Headquarters,” he said.
Azry urged the public to exercise greater caution when dealing with online investments and to always verify the legitimacy of schemes before transferring any money.
“Do not be easily taken in by investment offers that promise high returns with no risk,” he warned.
He also reminded the public to check account and phone numbers involved in transactions through the official portal [https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my](https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my) before proceeding with any financial dealings. - May 26, 2025
