AN 87-year-old pensioner has lost RM277,000 after falling victim to an alleged online investment scam promoted through WhatsApp, police said.
Kuala Terengganu District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor said the elderly man lodged a report at the Kuala Terengganu Police Station at about 4.55pm on Thursday after realising he had been deceived.
According to investigators, the victim first encountered the fraudulent investment scheme on the morning of 18 September last year while at his home in Kuala Terengganu.
The scheme was advertised as a share investment opportunity through a message circulated on the WhatsApp application.
Interested in the offer, the victim began communicating with an individual identified as “Ms Nina”, who allegedly managed the supposed investment arrangement.
"Between 13 November and 24 December last year, the victim made several transfers of money into two separate accounts totalling RM95,000 and RM182,000.
"However, the victim did not receive any returns from the investment offered, and in fact suffered a total loss of RM277,000," he said.
Police said the victim transferred the funds through several transactions between 13 November and 24 December last year into two separate bank accounts.
Despite the payments, the promised investment returns never materialised, prompting the victim to suspect that he had been defrauded and subsequently lodge a police report.
Authorities said the losses involved the victim’s personal savings as well as funds from his Tabung Haji savings account.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. - March 6, 2026
