GEORGE TOWN – A 58-year-old retiree lost RM210,600 in an online scam after she was conned into believing that she could get aid for her husband from the United Nations for Covid-19.
The victim, a Vietnamese with permanent resident status in Malaysia, made numerous transactions since August, transferring her money to a man who communicated with her through a Facebook account.
George Town district police chief Soffian Santong said the woman received a message on Facebook Messenger stating that there is a “Covid-19 United Nations Grant Fund Relief”.
“The complainant applied for a grant of USD$100,000 (RM403,000) in a bid to buy a house and for the daily expenses of her disabled husband,” he said
The suspect demanded professional and insurance fees for his job.
The victim made her first transaction of RM8,000 on August 18, and had made a total of 12 transactions via cash deposit machines and instant transfers to five different accounts given by the suspect.
Sofian said initial investigations revealed that the suspect was behind five fraudulent cases using bank accounts in Selangor, Perak, Sarawak, and Negri Sembilan.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Soffian said that as far as the police know, there is no such thing as aid from the United Nations for Covid-19. – The Vibes, January 8, 2021
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