BINTULU: A private company manager thought he was making a smart move by joining a stock trading scheme introduced by a friend — instead, he ended up losing RM300,000.
The victim, a man in his late 30s, was approached in mid-May by a friend who invited him to join a so-called investment opportunity promising high and fast returns.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata said the victim was instructed to contact another individual — believed to be the suspect — via WhatsApp to proceed with the investment.
“Persuaded by the promise of lucrative profits, the victim transferred RM300,000 in stages to bank accounts provided by the suspect.
“However, things didn’t look right when the suspect suddenly demanded more payments. Only then that the man realised he had been scammed,” he said.
The victim has since lodged a police report for further investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property.
Mancha urged members of the public to be wary of any investment offer that appears too good to be true.
“They should verify the legitimacy of such schemes with Bank Negara Malaysia via http://www.bnm.gov.my or BNMTELELINK at 1-300-88-5465, and the Securities Commission Malaysia at http://www.sc.com.my or 03-6204 8999.
“Background checks on individuals or companies offering investments can also be done through the SC Investment Checker app or at https://www.sc.com.my/investment-checker,” he said.
For further assistance or to report scams, the public can contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 and follow @CyberCrimeAlertRMP and @JSJKPDRM on Facebook for the latest updates.
