In a recent statement on July 26th, Sarawak police commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri disclosed the details of an online fraud that resulted in a man in his 30s, an event manager, being scammed of a staggering RM1.2 million.
The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, fell for the trap set by a match on a dating app.
The scam unfolded when the victim encountered a woman named Emma on a popular dating app. Emma engaged him in conversation and eventually offered him what seemed like a genuine part-time job opportunity on May 14th. Excited about the prospect, the victim readily accepted.
Photo via Borneo Post Online
The fraudster lured the man by promising a 1.1% commission and convinced him to transfer the hefty sum of RM1.2 million to seven different bank accounts. Additionally, the victim was assured of more commissions if he successfully sold products on a designated website. To build trust, the scammer, claiming to be from Vietnam, even had a video call with the victim to discuss the job details, as reported in The Borneo Post.
Unaware of the deceptive scheme, the event manager proceeded to transfer significant amounts of money to various bank accounts between May 15th and July 13th. Despite his substantial investments, the victim only received a meager return of RM200,000.
Only when the promised commissions failed to materialize did the event manager realize he had fallen victim to an elaborate scam. He promptly lodged a report with the authorities.
In response to this unfortunate incident, law enforcement authorities are urging the public to exercise extreme caution when dealing with unknown phone calls or offers that seem too good to be true. They advise individuals to immediately inform their partners, friends, or family members if they receive suspicious phone calls and to seek confirmation from the police, banks, or relevant agencies.
The public is warned against divulging their bank details to unfamiliar individuals or parties and to refrain from adding suspicious phone numbers to their online banking accounts…
The Sarawak police commissioner's office has assured the public that they are actively investigating the matter and will take necessary actions to track down the perpetrator and bring them to justice.
In the meantime, they also encourage anyone who suspects they may have fallen victim to similar cyber scams to come forward and promptly report the incidents.
