A 58-YEAR-old local man has lost more than RM200,000 after falling victim to a romance scam orchestrated by a syndicate posing as a Japanese woman on social media.
According to Pahang Police Chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman, the victim became acquainted with the woman via Facebook in April.
After about a month of online interaction, the suspect claimed that a package addressed to her had been detained by immigration authorities in Türkiye en route from that country to Japan.
“She asked the victim for financial assistance to recover the package, promising to repay the amount with double returns once the parcel was received,” Bernama cited Yahaya saying in a statement on Friday.
The victim, believing the story, transferred money to the woman's bank account in 50 separate transactions, eventually losing RM200,000 from his savings.
Yahaya urged the public not to easily trust individuals they have never met in person, especially online, and to always verify identities and bank details before making financial transactions.
“Confirm any suspicious phone numbers or bank accounts through [https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my,”](https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my,”) he advised. - June 13, 2025
