Woman loses RM9,200 in pet scam

MIRI: A woman in her 40s has fallen victim to a fraudulent online pet sale, suffering losses amounting to RM9,200.

Miri District Police Chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu confirmed that the Miri Commercial Crime investigation department received a police report on August 1, concerning the e-commerce fraud.

The scam involved the purchase of a pet cat through a WhatsApp group.

The victim was lured into making several transactions to a third-party bank account, totalling RM9,200, as payment for a British short hair breed cat.

Despite the payment, the promised pet was never delivered, and the suspect continued to demand more money for various reasons.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than ten years, along with whipping and a fine if convicted.