Housewife loses RM239,000 to Macau scam

MIRI: A housewife has lost her life savings of RM239,000 after falling prey to a Macau scam.

Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Supt Mustafa Kamal Gani Abdullah said the 40-year- old victim received a phone call on April 4 from a man who claimed to be from the Customs Department.

He claimed she had goods and services tax ( GST) debts amounting to RM45,700 from a company registered under her name.

“The victim denied the accusation but then the call was transferred to another man, who claimed to be a police officer who is in charge of GST debt settlement.

“The suspect also told the victim that she is involved with an illegal money laundering syndicate amounting to RM1.2 million,” Mustafa said.

This apparently caused the victim to panic.

She was then given the choice of either surrendering herself to the authorities or transferring a sum of money to an account number given by the suspect for “investigation purposes”.

“The victim then followed the instructions given to her where she was asked to open a new bank account and transfer her money amounting RM213,000 into the new account.

“The suspect then transferred the RM213,000 in the new account to theirs after the victim provided them with her internet banking ID and TAC number,” said Mustafa.

The suspect then asked the victim to deposit another RM26,000 into another account. The woman only realised she had been victimised when she read about a recent Macam scam case in Kuching involving RM300,000.

“She tried to contact the suspects, but they could no longer be reached,” added Mustafa Kamal.