KUCHING: A 44-year-old man fell victim to a non-existent online investment scheme linked to the website GINKGO-my.com, resulting in a loss of RM333,576.
Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said the victim came across an investment advertisement on Facebook on Sept 16 and subsequently registered an account on the GINKGO-my.com platform.
“The victim then made 26 online transfers to six company bank accounts, only to discover later that the investment profits displayed on the website could not be withdrawn,” Alexson said in his statement.
He added that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries a jail term of one to 10 years, whipping, and a possible fine upon conviction.
From Jan 1 to Nov 12, the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) recorded 101 similar cases in the district, amounting to total losses of RM23.3 million.
Alexson urged the public not to trust online investment offers blindly.
“Always verify the legitimacy of the company or website through Bank Negara Malaysia or the Securities Commission before making any transaction,” he said.
He also advised victims of cyber scams to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 immediately after making any transaction.
Verification tools such as Investment Checker, Check Scammers CCID, or the Whoscall app are recommended to help identify scam calls and accounts.
Updates on the latest scams and modus operandi are available on CCID’s official social media accounts @JSJKPDRM and @CYBERCRIMEALERTRMP on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
