A 55-YEAR-OLD retired clerk has lost RM600,000 to an online investment scam after being enticed by a fraudulent advertisement on Facebook.
According to Penang acting police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin, preliminary investigations revealed that the woman, formerly employed by a company in Bukit Minyak in Bukit Mertajam encountered the scam in May.
“She then clicked on the link and was contacted by a male suspect via WhatsApp before being added to a WhatsApp group,” he said in a statement issued today.
The suspect offered her a high-return investment scheme, promising attractive profits over a short period depending on the capital invested. The victim was instructed to download an application via a link provided and to register before making her investments.
Mohd Alwi said that on 11 July, the woman made six cash transfers totalling RM600,000 to six separate company accounts. She only realised she had been scammed after being unable to withdraw her supposed profits.
“She was instead told to make additional payments as a condition for withdrawal,” he added.
The victim subsequently lodged a police report at the Seberang Perai Tengah District Police Headquarters. The case is now being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. - July 30, 2025
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