University student loses RM187,800 in phone scam

New Straits Times

12 hours ago

KUALA TERENGGANU: A female student at a public university lost RM187,800 after falling victim to a phone scam syndicate.
Kuala Terengganu police chief Assistant Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor said the victim filed a report at the Kuala Terengganu police station at 9.43pm yesterday.
He said on Aug 4, the victim received a phone call from a person posing as a representative of an electronic payment company, who told the victim that she had misused the company's application.
Subsequently, he said, the victim was connected to several individuals who impersonated police officers and a man with the title of "Datuk," through four separate phone numbers as a tactic to intimidate her.
"During the conversation, the victim was told that she was supposedly involved in money laundering and drug offences.
"She was then ordered to transfer money for investigation purposes, resulting in a loss of RM187,800," he said.
From Aug 4 to 9, the victim made eight transactions through an ATM to six different accounts.
In addition to the money transfers, on Aug 9, the victim also handed over three bracelets, five rings, and one pendant to a woman on the side of Jalan Pantai Penarik Setiu, as instructed by the suspects.
"The victim could not identify the woman she met on the side of the road when handing over the jewellery because the suspect was wearing a face mask at the time," he said.
The funds were from the victim's savings, her parents' bank accounts, and her mother's jewellery.
The victim took her parents' ATM cards without their knowledge to make the transactions.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.