AN administrative officer lost RM220,000 in savings and personal loan funds after falling victim to a ‘phone scam’ syndicate posing as law enforcement officers.
Kuala Terengganu District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor said the incident began on 3 September when the 31-year-old woman received a call from an individual claiming to be an officer from the Anti-Money Laundering Investigation Team (AMLA).
“The suspect alleged that the victim owned a bank account in Johor involved in money-laundering activities. The call was then transferred to another person who introduced himself as Sergeant Khairudin from the Johor Contingent Police Headquarters,” he said on Tuesday.
The victim was told she was under investigation under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1972.
“The suspect instructed the victim to disclose all her bank account details, including those with Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) and Tabung Haji, and to report her activities at every prayer time,” Azli said.
A few days later, the victim received another call from a man identifying himself as ASP Rashid, who claimed to be the investigating officer assigned to resolve her alleged case in court.
Azli said the suspect then directed the victim to withdraw RM25,000 from her ASB account and RM5,000 from her Tabung Haji account, purportedly for an audit by Bank Negara Malaysia.
“The money was transferred into a CIMB account under another individual’s name. Two days later, the suspect claimed the funds were suspected of being involved in money laundering and instructed the victim to take out a new loan,” he added.
The victim was told to check her loan eligibility and later informed the suspect that she was approved for a RM200,000 personal loan from Bank Rakyat.
“She was instructed not to disclose the purpose of the loan to bank officers or her employer,” Azli said.
The victim subsequently took a loan of RM194,461.38 and, between 8 and 14 October, made seven transfers totalling RM190,000 into another account under the syndicate’s direction.
“She only realised she had been scammed when she could no longer reach either suspect and discovered her number had been blocked,” he said.
Azli confirmed that the victim’s total losses amounted to RM220,000, involving both savings and borrowed funds. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and not to trust unsolicited calls from individuals claiming to be from banks or government agencies.
“Always verify such calls directly with the police or the relevant financial institutions to avoid becoming a victim,” Azli advised. - November 4, 2025
