Property valuation firm manager loses over RM505,000 in investment scam

KUANTAN (May 20): A 67-year-old manager of a property valuation company in Temerloh lost more than RM505,000 after falling victim to a non-existent share investment scheme advertised on Facebook.

Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the woman contacted a suspect via WhatsApp on March 28 after seeing the advertisement and was persuaded to provide her personal details and join the scheme.

He said the victim made 61 transactions between March 28 and April 28 through online transfers, cash deposit machines and bank counter deposits to several bank accounts provided by the suspect.

On April 29, the victim was told to pay an additional RM80,000 as a service charge to withdraw purported investment returns amounting to RM658,646.88.

The victim requested that the charge be deducted from the investment profits, but her request was rejected and she was asked to make the full payment upfront.

"The victim lodged a police report after failing to recover the money, which involved her own savings as well as funds belonging to family members," he said in a statement yesterday.

Yahaya advised the public to verify investment offers with Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia, and to check bank accounts and telephone numbers through the Semak Mule platform before making any financial transactions.

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