2 days ago
Insurance officer loses RM55,000 to Facebook job scam
SERI ALAM: An insurance quality officer lost RM54,950.59 after falling for a fake part-time job offer promoted on Facebook last month.
The woman, 32, came across an advertisement on the social media platform on May 30, which promised commissions of between 10 and 35 per cent.
After she clicked a link on the advertisement, she was redirected to a WhatsApp number operated under the name "BookAssist Helpdesk".
Enticed by the promised returns, she made 16 online transfers to 10 bank accounts over four days. She realised she had been scammed when she was asked to pay more money to 'unlock' her earned commission.
Police checks via the Semak Mule portal revealed that six of the the 10 accounts used in the scam were linked to seven job fraud reports.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Sohaimi Ishak advised the public to be wary of flashy online offers and to verify job postings thoroughly.
"Avoid sharing personal banking details with unknown parties and check suspicious accounts via the Semak Mule portal," he said
He added that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
He also urged victims to contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997 for swift action to block outgoing funds.
