A 65-YEAR-OLD woman has lost more than RM1 million in a prolonged online romance scam involving a man posing as a Singaporean engineer based in the United Kingdom, in a case highlighting the enduring risks of emotionally driven financial fraud.
The victim, from Penang, was said to have developed an online relationship with the suspect, who claimed to be working as an engineer at a consultancy firm and planning to relocate to Malaysia to live with her.
The deception came to wider attention when the woman, having exhausted her savings, attempted to borrow RM1,100 from community activist Kuan Chee Heng, widely known as “Uncle Kentang”, in order to send more money to the man she believed to be her partner.
Upon realising the circumstances, Kuan refused her request after recognising that she had been defrauded.
According to him, the suspect had gone to considerable lengths to gain the victim’s trust.
“The man also showed a document of a fixed deposit in a local bank, believed to be fake, to gain the victim’s confidence.
“The victim had been living alone for a long time and hoped for someone to accompany and care for her in old age.
“As such, despite never having met him, she fully trusted the man and repeatedly transferred money into several bank accounts provided, resulting in losses exceeding RM1 million,” he said when contacted.
Despite the significant financial loss, the woman reportedly remains unaware that she has been scammed, underscoring the psychological grip such syndicates can exert over victims. - March 27, 2026
