3 hours ago
4
ADVERTISE HERE
MIRI: A woman here lost RM97,000 after a fraudster used her husband’s profile photograph to impersonate him on WhatsApp and trick her into transferring money.
Miri District Police Chief, ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said in a statement on Saturday (Oct 17) that the woman received WhatsApp messages on October 16 from an unknown number displaying her husband’s profile picture.
Believing the messages were from her husband, she made two online transfers totalling RM97,000 to separate bank accounts.
The transfers, made through company accounts, amounted to RM48,000 and RM49,000.
The scam was discovered when the woman checked with her husband about the payments.
He denied requesting the transfers, and further checks showed that the number did not belong to him.
The WhatsApp conversation subsequently disappeared, according to the police statement.
The woman then contacted the banks involved to request action against the accounts linked to the transactions.
The case was reported at Miri Central Police Station and is being investigated under Section 420 of the Malaysian Penal Code, which deals with cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property.
Police warn the public against impersonation scams
Police urged the public to remain vigilant against scams in which fraudsters impersonate friends or family members using their profile photographs to gain the victims’ trust.
Members of the public should verify requests for money directly with the person concerned through a separate, trusted communication channel before making any transfer.
Police also warned against transferring money to third-party accounts without proper verification.
Those who suspect they have been scammed should retain transaction records and other relevant evidence.
The public can check suspicious telephone numbers and bank accounts through the Royal Malaysia Police’s Semak Mule portal at http://semakmule.rmp.gov.my before making financial transactions.
Further information on current scam tactics is available through the Royal Malaysia Police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department and Sarawak’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department.
English (US) ·