A BATIK trader lost RM48,300 after falling victim to an e-commerce scam in which fraudsters impersonated government officials and persuaded her to purchase items from a fictitious supplier.
Kuala Terengganu district police chief Assistant Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor said the 59-year-old woman lodged a police report at the Kuala Terengganu Police Station at 7.06pm yesterday.
The scam began on March 3 when the victim received a WhatsApp message from a phone number claiming to represent the Department of Environment in Kuala Terengganu.
The sender allegedly expressed interest in purchasing 50 pairs of cotton batik valued at RM9,000.
According to Azli, the suspect later requested that the trader also supply gift items as part of the supposed order.
"The sender also asked the victim to supply gifts in the form of a 'bakul senandung' basket and souvenirs shaped like a keris, and she was instructed to deal with a specific supplier," he said.
The victim subsequently contacted the purported supplier through WhatsApp and, after discussions, agreed to purchase the items for RM48,300.
Azli said the woman made three separate transactions to a bank account on March 9, transferring a total of RM48,300.
However, after the payments were completed, she was unable to contact the individuals involved and the ordered gifts were never delivered. - March 10, 2026
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