A 53-year-old bank manager in Seremban has lost RM605,000 in a Macau Scam, according to police.
Negri Sembilan Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Supt Aibee Ab Ghani said the victim was at home in Taman Tuanku Ja’afar on Jan 26 when she received a call from a woman who identified herself as “Suraya Sani”.
“The caller, who claimed she worked for an insurance company, told the victim that someone had used her name to make a compensation claim for an accident totalling RM68,800.
“When the victim denied making any such claim, the call was transferred to the ‘Pudu police station’ and a so-called policeman by the name of Sjn Hairul Mohd Musa started questioning her,” he said on Wednesday (March 23).
Supt Aibee said the “policeman” then told the victim that her personal information had been misused and that her case was somehow related to a money-laundering case involving the former deputy director of the Sabah Water Department.
“The call was then transferred to one Insp Azrai who told the victim that she was being investigated for money laundering.
“After that, the call was transferred to a woman named Mastura who was supposedly a deputy public prosecutor,” Supt Aibee said, adding that the victim was also told that a warrant had been issued for her arrest.
Supt Aibee said the victim then told the policeman that she was not involved in any money-laundering activity and that she had started saving from young.
She also told him that she had savings of RM425,000 in her Amanah Saham Nasional account and RM180,000 in her bank account which she withdrew from the Employees Provident Fund.
“The officer then told her that they would probe the matter and asked for her banking details, including the transaction authorisation code sent by the bank later, which she provided,” Supt Aibee said.
He said the victim forgot about the case but decided to tell her husband about it on Saturday (March 19).
“She was then told to check the balance in her account and was shocked to discover that the money had been withdrawn,” he said.
She then lodged a police report.
The case is being probed under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
The offence carries a jail term of between one and 10 years, whipping and a fine upon conviction. – The Star