A 37-YEAR-OLD woman from Kampung Tun Razak, Bukit Katil, fell victim to an online scam on Sunday after attempting to pay an RM8 deposit for a washing machine repair, only to lose a total of RM8,800, Melaka police reported.
The victim, employed as a factory operator, was searching for repair services on Facebook around 4 p.m. when she encountered a page offering washing machine repairs. She was then directed to communicate through WhatsApp and provided with a payment link to pay a small deposit.
“After clicking the link, the victim discovered that three unauthorised withdrawals had been made from her account,” said Melaka Tengah District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Patit, in a statement today. “The total loss amounted to RM8,800.”
The victim, realising she had been defrauded, lodged a police report at the Ayer Keroh Police Station at approximately 9 p.m. on the same day. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
ACP Patit urged the public to exercise greater caution when making online transactions, particularly when paying deposits via QR codes or links that may not be legitimate.
“This incident serves as a reminder to verify payment methods and avoid transferring funds to unknown or unverified sources,” he added, highlighting the growing risk of digital scams targeting unsuspecting users. - January 21, 2026
