BUTTERWORTH – A 30-year-old private firm employee lost RM13,300 in savings to a cyber scammer syndicate promising sexual services at a luxury condominium in Jalan Raja Uda, here.
The victim had befriended a woman through the WeChat app before a man called the victim promising to arrange for the woman to provide sexual services if payment is made online.
Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Noorzainy Mohd Noor said the “agent” then asked for payments to be made through the Razer Gold App, where the victim topped-up payments in several stages.
The victim later realised he was cheated when the syndicate member blatantly “lost contact” with the victim.
Similar incidents in the district also saw two victims in their 30s losing a total of RM7,908 when they ordered jewellery and kitchenware items through online purchases via Instagram.
Noorzainy said the victims, who were attracted by the prices indicated in the advertisement, ordered the items after comparing the prices with other websites and transferred the money to an account number provided by the agent.
He said the victims realised they were cheated when the agent demanded more money but failed to provide the tracking IDs for the packages containing their items.
All cases, he said, are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Noorzainy advised the public to check the authenticity of such advertiments at a consumers’ website or app, which is available in the Google Play Store, before making payments and ordering items. – The Vibes, September 2, 2021
