Hairdresser loses RM900,000 savings after falling for Macau scam

SIBU (Nov 22): A female hairdresser here lost RM900,000 to a Macau scam in which she was accused of money laundering.

Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata said the victim, in her 60s, was at home on Oct 17 when she answered a phone call from an unknown number.

“The caller, who identified himself as ‘Inspector Koo’ from the Perak police contingent headquarters, told the victim that her bank account was being used for money laundering activities.

“He instructed the victim to open a new account and transfer all her money there so that Bank Negara Malaysia could monitor the activities of her old account,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Mancha said the victim proceeded to open a new account and deposited RM2,000 into it, before transferring RM900,000 from her four other accounts into the new account as instructed by the caller.

“On Nov 20, however, the victim suspected something was amiss and informed her son, who asked her to check her new bank account.

“It was then that she discovered all of her money had been transferred out in 55 transactions to seven different third party accounts between October and early November,” he said, adding a police report was lodged the same day.

In this regard, Mancha reminded the public to remain calm if accused of committing a crime, especially by an unknown caller.

“If you have not committed any offence, do not panic when answering such calls. Do not be deceived by the many tactics and tricks of these scammers,” he said.