RM600k gone: Research officer falls for WhatsApp investment scam
KUANTAN: A 57-year-old research officer from Rompin lost over half a million ringgit of her life savings to a non-existent investment scheme — in less than two months.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the woman was lured in after receiving an initial RM1,000 profit from her first online investment, only to be defrauded of RM600,500 in total.
He said the victim was added to a WhatsApp group named "K81 Lombard Stock Investment Academy" on March 21 this year.
"She was instructed to download an application via a link shared in the group. Her first investment of RM14,000 generated a RM1,000 return, which was credited into her account along with her capital.
"Encouraged by the initial profit, she proceeded to make 28 transactions totalling RM600,500 into three different bank accounts between April 23 and June 4. The app claimed her investment had grown to over RM300,000 in profit," he said in a statement today.
However, when the woman tried to withdraw RM50,000, she was told to pay RM200,000 as a "service charge". Realising she had been scammed, she lodged a police report yesterday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Penang KPDN exposes new subsidised cooking oil misappropriation tactic
BUTTERWORTH: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has exposed a new tactic in misappropriating subsidised cooking oil packs using courier services following a raid on a warehouse in Kampung Sungai Puyu here today. Penang KPDN director S Jegan said 14,380 packets of one-kilogramme (kg) subsidised cooking oil packs were seized from the warehouse, along with a lorry and other documents, with a total value of RM204,500. 'Preliminary investigations found that the wholesaler used courier services to send the packs in large quantities to an address in Perlis while the apcks were brought to the courier warehouse in a lorry in deliveries of twice a month,' he told reporters at a media conference at the location of the raid. A man, 60, who was the driver of the lorry was arrested after he failed to provide any license, permit or documents to conduct business, to store or use the controlled item. The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, he added.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Penang KPDN uncovers cooking oil misappropriation tactic
BUTTERWORTH: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has exposed a new tactic in misappropriating subsidised cooking oil packs using courier services following a raid on a warehouse in Kampung Sungai Puyu here today. Penang KPDN director S Jegan said 14,380 packets of one-kilogramme (kg) subsidised cooking oil packs were seized from the warehouse, along with a lorry and other documents, with a total value of RM204,500. 'Preliminary investigations found that the wholesaler used courier services to send the packs in large quantities to an address in Perlis while the apcks were brought to the courier warehouse in a lorry in deliveries of twice a month,' he told reporters at a media conference at the location of the raid. A man, 60, who was the driver of the lorry was arrested after he failed to provide any license, permit or documents to conduct business, to store or use the controlled item. The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, he added.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
PKR's leave to appeal bid in Zuraida's bond payment case set for hearing on June 24
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court will hear on June 24 an application by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to seek leave to appeal against a Court of Appeal's decision which reduced the bond payment to be made by the party's former vice-president, Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, in a breach of party bond case. PKR's lawyer, Navpreet Singh, when contacted, told Bernama that the hearing will proceed via online proceedings. 'A final case management was held before the Federal Court deputy registrar Husna Dzulkifly today, he said, adding that all parties have updated the court pertaining to compliance with pre-hearing directives relating to their submissions. The case revolves around a civil suit filed by former PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, on behalf of the party, claiming that Zuraida, who was then the Ampang Member of Parliament, had breached the bond she had signed. The terms of the bond, among others, required Zuraida to pay PKR RM10 million within seven days of winning an election on the PKR ticket, should she resign from the party, join another political party, or become an independent representative. In June 2023, the High Court ruled in favour of the party and ordered Zuraida to pay the RM10 million, with the court finding the bond to be valid and enforceable. However, in December last year, the Court of Appeal agreed with the High Court that there was a breach of bond but reduced the bond amount to RM100,000, citing that the RM10 million is not a reasonable amount of compensation. This prompted PKR to file a leave to appeal. In her defence, Zuraida contended that she was forced to sign the bond with the party to be able to stand for election as a candidate in the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018. The Federal Court will now decide whether PKR can proceed with its appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision. In civil cases, litigants must obtain leave before they can proceed with their appeals in the Federal Court.
