Penang teacher loses RM300,000 to “Andy Lau” in love scam

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Believing that she had found the right man, a 57-year-old woman started to bank in money to her “boyfriend” called Andy Lau when he needed help.

In over a month, the teacher parted with more than RM300,000.

North Seberang Prai OCPD Asst Comm Noorzainy Mohd Noor said the man, who used the Facebook account under “Andy Lau”, claimed to be a US citizen working in the oil and gas industry.

“She befriended him sometime end of last year. They then exchanged phone numbers and communicated through WhatsApp.

“About a month into their ‘relationship’, the suspect started to tell his sad story to gain her sympathy,” he said in a statement yesterday.

ACP Noorzainy said the woman fell for the ploy and started to lend him money.

“In total, she banked in 49 transactions from mid-October last year until the end of December.

“She deposited money into 14 bank accounts through several local banks.

“She made the transactions in stages, believing that she would get her money back,” he said.

Noorzainy said the victim only realised she was cheated when the suspect continued to ask her for more money, although she had loaned so much to him.

He said further investigations are being conducted, including tracking down the owners of the accounts used by the suspect, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

The woman lodged a police report on Saturday.