A lawyer ended up RM259,900 poorer after she fell victim to a Macau scam syndicate two days ago.
The 40-year-old’s nightmare started when she received a call from a man who told her she was involved in a drug case and had tax arrears with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
State Commercial Criminal Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Rosni Mohd Lazim said the victim, who has a law firm in Bukit Mertajam, claimed she received a call from the man, who introduced himself as an officer from the IRB.
“The man claimed the victim had opened up a company in Melaka and had tax arrears of RM32,000 but she denied it. The call was then connected to another man, who introduced himself as a ‘police sergeant’.
“The police sergeant told the victim that besides tax arrears, she was also involved in a criminal case involving drug abuse.
“The call was subsequently transferred to a ‘police officer’ who introduced himself as an ‘assistant commissioner’. He told the victim he could help clear her name, with the condition that she followed his every order, including to carry out several bank transfer transactions,” he said today.
Rosni said, out of fear and worry of being arrested by police, the victim followed every order and conducted numerous monetary transfers, totalling RM259,900, into three bank accounts.
After the transfers, she could no longer contact the officer.
Rosni said the victim then decided to lodge a police report yesterday.
“Checks into the three bank accounts used for the transfers showed they possibly belonged to account ‘mules’.
“Until now, there are no reports on the three accounts. The telephone numbers used by the syndicate were related to three reports made in Datuk Keramat, Bukit Mertajam and Nilai, Negeri Sembilan,” he noted.
The case is being probed under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. – NST