A FACTORY clerk lost more than RM101,000 after being duped by a bogus online part-time job offer that promised lucrative payments and commissions.
Pekan district police chief Superintendent Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin said the 55-year-old woman received a call from an unidentified man at about 10am on Aug 15, who offered her the online job.
He said the suspect promised attractive payments and commissions and instructed the victim to join WhatsApp and Telegram groups set up for the purported work.
"The victim was then instructed to carry out several tasks, including posting reviews and pressing the 'like' button on social media pages.
"After agreeing to the offer, the victim was instructed to make several payments into bank accounts provided to obtain commissions," he said in a statement on Thursday.
Mohd Zaidi said the victim was deceived into making 14 transactions totalling RM101,007, using her personal savings.
The scammer subsequently instructed her to make another transfer and threatened her with a penalty if she failed to comply.
"The victim began to suspect that she had been cheated before lodging a police report at the Pekan District Police Headquarters for further action.
"The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code," he said.
Mohd Zaidi urged the public to remain vigilant and not be easily swayed by online job offers promising unusually high returns.
He said members of the public could conduct preliminary checks through the official Semak Mule portal to determine whether a bank account had previously been linked to fraudulent activities before making any transactions.
"Members of the public who suspect that they have fallen victim to a scam are advised to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997," he said. - August 20, 2026