Kapit pharmacist loses RM260,000 to phone scam

KUCHING: A pharmacy personel in Kapit lost RM260,000 to a phone scam.

According to Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata, it began when the victim, in her early 30s, was contacted by a person claiming to be from the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC).

“During that call, the scammer said the pharmacist’s phone number was detected in money-laundering activities and thus, she was ordered to go to Perak Contingent Police Headquarters (IPK) to make a report.

“After stating that she could not make it there, the phone call was connected to one ‘Sgt Ismail’ from Perak State Police Contingent (IPK), claiming that he inspected the victim’s identification card and found that her ATM card was possessed by one ‘Chan Boon Siew’, who was apprehended by them.

“The call was then connected to one ‘Insp Mokhtar’, claiming to be another officer from IPK Perak who instructed her to transfer all her money into a bank account, so as to prevent her money from being taken by Chan Boon Siew’s syndicate,” said Mancha in a statement yesterday, adding that between early November and early December last year, the victim had made 12 bank transfers to seven different bank accounts.

Upon realising that she had been scammed, the pharmacist filed a report to IPK Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) on Jan 29.

“The public are advised not to entertain unknown phone calls, and to immediately notify their partners, friends or family members should they receive such phone calls, as well as to check with the police, banks or related agencies for confirmation.

“They must not provide bank details to unknown individuals or parties, and should refrain from registering the suspects’ phone numbers for their online banking.

“Contact the National Scam Response Centre on 997 if you are a victim of cyberscams (phone scam, love scam, ecommerce scam, and loan scam) and if you had just made a money transfer to a suspect’s bank account or e-wallet.

The public can also download the ‘Whoscall’ app via the Google Play Store or Apple Store to identify numbers listed in the Semak Mule System database, or scan the QR Code on the CCID’s social media accounts and commercial crime e-books to get the latest information on commercial crime modus operandi.

Check suspected phone numbers and bank accounts through the Check Scammers CCID app, or http:// semakmule.rmp.gov.my before making any transactions.

Visit the CCID’s official social media accounts (@JSJKPDRM and @ CYBERCRIMEALERTRMP) on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to learn more.