KUCHING: A woman in her 50s from Miri lost approximately RM110,000 after falling victim to a non-existent online investment scheme.
Sarawak Police Commissioner, Datuk Mancha Ata, said the victim, a local private sector employee, lodged a report stating that she came across an ad offering free reading materials on Instagram in mid-April this year.
“The woman clicked on a link which led her to be added to a WhatsApp group called ‘Popular Books 90’.
“Not long after, she was contacted by an individual from the group, believed to be the suspect, who persuaded her to invest in a scheme that promised high returns within a short period,” he said in a statement last night.
Attracted by the offer, he said the woman communicated with the group admin and agreed to invest, and all dealings were conducted through WhatsApp.
“In this incident, the woman made several online money transfers in stages into a bank account provided by the suspect, amounting to approximately RM110,000,” he said.
The scam came to light when, despite multiple transactions, the victim never received any profit as promised.
