PASIR GUDANG: A 33-year-old female engineer lost RM178,200 to an online stock investment scam promising high returns via WhatsApp.
Seri Alam Police Chief ACP Mohd Sohaimi Ishak said the victim was lured in after seeing an investment ad on Telegram and followed a link provided. Between March and July, she made 19 transactions to three different bank accounts.
The scam became apparent when she was asked to pay more money to withdraw her "profits."
Initial investigations revealed that the bank accounts involved had 21 previous police reports related to investment fraud. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and includes probes into mule account usage.
Police urge the public to remain cautious, verify investment offers with the Securities Commission, and use the "Semak Mule" portal to check suspicious accounts. Any suspicious investment offers should be reported immediately.