A MEDICAL specialist lost more than RM529,000 after being scammed by a non-existent investment syndicate related to cryptocurrency, and later by a syndicate offering to recover his losses via social media.
Perak Police Chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said that a report from the victim, a 67-year-old man, was received by the Ipoh District Police Headquarters (IPD), on Friday.
He said that initial investigations found that the victim began to get involved when he received an investment-related link from a friend on the TikTok application at the end of September, before making several money transfers totaling RM320,000 to various bank accounts registered in the company's name.
According to him, the man, however, failed to withdraw the promised profits, prompting him to contact an agency called International Justice Malaysia (IJM) via Facebook.
He said the victim was then contacted by a man claiming to be a lawyer from the IJM entity before being asked to make various additional payments totaling RM209,200.
"Shortly after failing to withdraw investment profits, the victim read about an entity known as IJM on Facebook that supposedly could help solve fraud problems.
"As a result of the transaction, the victim lost another RM209,200, bringing the total loss suffered by the victim to RM529,200," he said in a statement reported by Bernama.
Noor Hisam said the victim, who began to doubt and lose faith in the legitimacy of the transaction, later filed a police report, with the case being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which is for cheating. – January 4, 2026