KUANTAN, Feb 1 — A university student lost RM147,000 after falling victim to a phone scam syndicate impersonating Shopee representatives and police officers last month.
Pahang Police Chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the 20-year-old male victim received a phone call on Jan 23 from someone claiming to be a Shopee representative, alleging that he had advertised illegal items.
He said the victim’s call was then transferred to a ‘police officer’, who accused him of being involved in money laundering activities.
“The scammer instructed the victim to transfer money to avoid arrest and to clear his record of any criminal charges. The victim transferred a total of RM47,000 to three different accounts.
“In addition, he also handed over his mother’s gold jewelry, estimated to be worth RM100,000, to an unknown woman near his residential area,” Yahaya said in a statement today.
He added that the victim realised he had been scammed when his mother questioned the missing jewelry and the depletion of his bank savings. — Bernama
