50yo Sibu pensioner loses RM500k to e-commerce scam through Facebook

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By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Aug 24: A 50-year-old woman in Sibu lost RM500,000 to an e-commerce scam through Facebook.

Sarawak Police Commissioner Dato Mancha Ata, in a statement today, said on December 2023, the victim, who is a pensioner, took an interest in an advertisement selling traditional Chinese medicine on Facebook.

According to Mancha, the victim then contacted the suspect, known as Ti Zhi Guan, through WhatsApp with the intention of purchasing the product.

Initially, he said the deal between the victim and suspect went on smoothly until the suspect offered her the opportunity to become a supplier in Sibu in order to get a lower price on the product.

He also said that the victim agreed to the proposal without any legal agreement documentation and was instructed by the suspect to make an upfront capital payment, including to cover the transportation cost to bring the product from China to Malaysia.

“Following that, the suspect told the victim that the product was detained by the Customs Department at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and asked her to make payment to release the product.

“From December 2023 to July 2024, the victim has made 45 transactions to six bank accounts in phases totalling RM500,000.

“The victim only realised that she had been scammed after she was asked to make another payment,” he added. — DayakDaily