Teacher loses 10 times more than loan she sought

KUANTAN: A female teacher who wanted to take a loan of RM10,000 ended up losing more than 10 times the amount after she was cheated by a non-existent loan company.

Pahang Commercial Crimes Investigation Department chief Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said the victim, 48, said on Oct 15, she made an online application for the loan from a loan company which address was supposedly in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

"The victim claimed she was contacted by a man named Vincent and after discussions, the suspect asked her to make a payment for processing fees to get the loan on Oct 22,” he told reporters yesterday.

Mohd Wazir added that the victim who worked in Rompin near here made 24 transactions amounting to RM100,050 into eight different bank accounts.

After her last transaction on Monday, she felt she had been cheated as she did not get the loan and the suspect could no longer be contacted.

She lodged a police report at the Rompin District Police Station on the matter yesterday and an investigation is being conducted under Section 420 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail sentence of up to 10 years, caning and a fine, if found guilty.

On a separate case, Mohd Wazir an assistant government official lost RM45,450 which was supposed to be payment to help free a Facebook acquaintance who was detained by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.

He said the victim, 38, claimed that on Oct 29, he was contacted by a woman who said she was a Customs officer at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to inform him that his friend, Eric Kyeah had been detained.

“The suspect told Eric the suspect whom he had known for a year was detained for bringing in USD250,000 and the victim had to pay RM5,000 as guarantee for his friend.

“The victim was asked to make the payment for the process of letting Eric go, and ended up paying RM40,450," he said.

Mohd Wazir said 11 payments were made online to an account owned by a man given by the suspect. – Bernama