Middle-aged, lonely women targets for love scams

LAWAS: Love scam syndicates are preying on lonely women and those in their 50s.

Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that these two factors are part of the syndicate’s modus operandi.

“Nowadays, we are sharing information on social media about scammers, their various operational tactics, target demographics and many more.

“It is said that the scammers admit that their focus is indeed on women, those who are lonely and are over the age of 50,” she said when met by reporters after officiating the Chinese New Year ‘Sejambak Kasih’ programme at Hotel Sri Malaysia on Tuesday (Jan 23).

She added that retired women, possessing substantial financial resources, also become prime targets for such syndicate.

Beyond love scams, younger women in Sarawak also fall victim to job scams orchestrated by different syndicates.

Fatimah said the syndicate employ various fraudulent methods and scripts to recruit women, deceiving them in the process.

Therefore, to increase public awareness regarding such issue, her ministry will organise an Anti-Scam Outreach programme together with the Sarawak Women and Family Council and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).