MIRI – Sarawak Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Chong Chien Jen has again called on banks to tighten their internet banking procedures, following the latest scam victim in a string of cases involving unauthorised online withdrawals.
He said a woman in Kuching, who had lost RM123,900 to a bogus cop, is now seeking Sarawak DAP’s help.
She had her savings withdrawn online, despite the fact that she had never activated her online banking account.
State DAP chairman Chong Chien Jen said the woman was scammed through a phone call from someone claiming to be a police officer, who told her she was under investigation for financial crimes she allegedly committed.
“The woman was told that she must open a new bank account and transfer all her savings there if she wants help to resolve the investigation,” said Chong in a statement today.
Frightened, the woman did as she was told and opened a new bank account, to which she transferred RM123,900.
“After opening the new bank account, she called the ‘police officer’ and gave all the details of the new account she had opened,” Chong, who is Padungan assemblyman, said.
“The very next day, she found that all her money had been withdrawn, without her even having activated online internet banking.
“She went to the bank to lodge a report, but until now, she has not received any explanation of what had happened to her money,” said Chong.
He said a check at the woman’s bank in Kuching found that the case had been transferred to the bank’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
While giving assurance that Sarawak DAP would follow up on the case and help the woman get her savings back, Chong added that this was one of many such cases that occurred due to likely inadequate online security measures by banks.
He reiterated calls for Bank Negara Malaysia and other financial institutions to do more to safeguard users of banking facilities.
Susceptible seniors
Previous cases were reported on June 17, involving a senior citizen from Padawan cheated of RM133,432 through Facebook advertisements promising a 35% return on online investments.
Prior to that, on June 15, another scam victim was reported – also a senior citizen; this time, one from Sibu who was cheated of RM207,000.
The retired school teacher received calls and WhatsApp messages from people claiming to be investigating officers from a certain government ministry and police who told him he had committed financial crimes, and frightened the victim into opening a new bank account to transfer money so as to resolve the case.
The victim also found out the money had been withdrawn from the new account he opened without his knowledge.
Just last week, yet another victim, aged 66, from Miri was cheated of RM1.2 million, also over a purported investigation into financial criminal offences.
The same modus operandi was used in this case, with callers claiming to be enforcement officials promising to resolve the investigation if the victim opened a new bank account and transferred money there.
Sarawak police have urged people receiving such calls to go to the nearest police station to check if they were indeed being investigated for anything.
Kuching police chief Ashmon Bajah said Kuching district alone already saw 32 reported scam cases from January 1 to June 6 this year, involving total losses of about RM2.3 million.
Other than senior citizens, victims also comprised students and housewives, with the youngest victim being aged 19. – The Vibes, June 19, 2023
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