Woman loses RM9,000 in online smart lock purchase scam

MIRI: How gullible can one be! Perhaps it was brain lock.

A private sector employee ended up RM9,000 poorer when she fell victim to an online purchase scam of smart locks.

Miri police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said police received a report from the woman, in her 40s, on Tuesday (Nov 28).

“The victim had made a purchase of three smart locks costing RM9,000 online from an unknown individual on Monday (Nov 27).

“However, it dawned upon her that she was cheated when the items did not arrive within the promised timeframe as promised by the suspect,” he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property.

Alexson advised the public to exercise caution and remain vigilant when doing online transactions with unidentified parties.

Online shoppers should take the trouble to verify the legitimacy of sellers and the reliability of the platforms they use to prevent falling victim to scams.