Bintulu woman loses RM140,000 in elaborate ‘love scam’ involving fake doctor

BINTULU (Sept 4): A shop assistant in her late 50s has lost RM140,000 after falling victim to a sophisticated ‘love scam’ orchestrated by a man she met on Facebook.

Sarawak Police Commissioner Dato Mancha Ata in a statement today revealed that the victim first became acquainted with the scammer in late June 2024 through Facebook.

The man, who identified himself as Genghis Guo, claimed to be a doctor working in Cuba.

The two began communicating through Facebook Messenger, and the scammer promised to meet her in Melbourne, Australia, once he returned from his work abroad, said Mancha.

However, in mid-August 2024, Guo informed the woman that he had quit his job and needed financial assistance to pay a penalty for breaching his employment contract, added Mancha.

By the end of August 2024, the man requested additional funds to cover another penalty related to his contract in Cuba, assuring the victim that he would repay her once he arrived in Australia.

“The situation escalated when the victim received an email from someone named Tyler Clark, who introduced himself as Guo’s employer consultant.

“Clark claimed that Guo had been in a critical accident and needed funds for medical expenses.

“He also mentioned that Guo had quit his job to meet the victim and would be arrested by the police if the medical costs were not paid,” Mancha added.

Believing the story, the victim made several online transfers from mid-August to the end of August 2024, ultimately losing approximately RM140,000.

Mancha noted that the woman only realized she had been scammed when the demands for more money continued, and she had yet to receive any repayment from Guo.