File photo for illustration purposes
MIRI (April 16): A 64-year-old woman here has fallen victim to a love scam, losing over RM1.17 million after being manipulated by a suspect she met through TikTok, police confirmed.
Miri police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the case was reported to the Miri District Commercial Crime Investigation Department (NCID) on Wednesday.
The investigation revealed that the retiree was first contacted by the suspect through a direct message on TikTok, before the suspect requested her phone number and moved communications to WhatsApp.
“The suspect posed as a foreign national, using photographs belonging to another person along with edited personal documents to deceive the victim,” he said in a statement.
The suspect then told the victim he had been awarded an excavation project but was experiencing difficulties with his bank account, which he claimed had been blocked or hacked.
He appealed to the victim to cover advance payments and project-related costs, promising to repay her in US dollars.
Convinced by the suspect’s affectionate words and repeated assurances, the victim unsuspectingly made 59 transactions across nine third-party bank accounts provided by the suspect, amounting to a staggering RM1,173,700.
She only realised she had been swindled after confiding in family members, who urged her to lodge a police report.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries a minimum one-year jail term and a maximum of 10 years, along with caning and a fine.
Mohd Farhan advised the public to exercise caution when receiving friend requests from strangers on social media, warning against being swayed by flattery, sweet words, or promises made by newly acquainted online contacts.
Members of the public who suspect they have fallen victim to cyber fraud — including love scams, phone scams, and non-existent loan schemes — are advised to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) immediately on 997, particularly if a financial transfer has just been made.
Phone numbers and bank accounts can also be verified through the Check Scammers CCID portal or at http://semakmule.rmp.gov.my.
For updates on the latest scam tactics and modus operandi, the public can follow Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersil, Cyber Crime Alert Royal Malaysia Police, and Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersil Sarawak on Facebook.
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