RM17.9 Million Lost To Online Scams In Terengganu - Police

KUALA TERENGGANU, July 22 (Bernama) -- Terengganu police recorded 940 cases of online fraud involving losses amounting to RM17.9 million from January to June this year.

State police chief Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairuddin said the highest losses were from phone scams, which accounted for RM7.68 million, followed by non-existent investment schemes (RM5.47 million), online purchase frauds (RM1.95 million), and parcel scams (RM1.57 million).

“There were also cases of cybercrime or money siphoned out from accounts (RM501,583.34), loan scams (RM470,907.91), love scams (RM260,200), and Ah Long (illegal moneylender) frauds totalling RM2,960,” he said after the handover ceremony of case items by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department at the Terengganu Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) today.

Mohd Khairi also revealed that the most recent case involved a former employee of an oil exploration company who lost RM892,000 to a phone scam syndicate.

He said on Dec 31 last year, the 56-year-old male victim was contacted by suspects posing as a representative of the online sales platform Shopee and a police officer from the Penang IPK, alleging that he was involved in money laundering and drug trafficking.

“Panicked by the accusation, the victim made 10 transactions to seven different accounts between Jan 7 and Feb 10, using his retirement savings and Employees Provident Fund to ‘clear’ his name,” said Mohd Khairi, adding that the victim lodged a report yesterday.

He urged the public to remain vigilant against fraud syncidate tactics that target victims regardless of age or social background.

-- BERNAMA