JOHOR BAHRU - A total of 1,047 police reports involving love scams were lodged in the first six months this year in Johor, involving RM25 million.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said last year 934 police reports were made during the same period.
"The target of this syndicate is to deceive individuals in their 50s to 60s through social media," he told reporters after the Johor Police Contingent Junior Rank Application Ceremony session 2/2022 at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) here on Wednesday.
Kamarul Zaman said a latest case involving a housewife in her 50s handed over RM140,000 to a man known through social media after being entangled in virtual love.
"The money handed over by the woman was from donations from family members, including her child, for her old age," he said.
He said the targets are normally lonely victims and a target of syndicates disguised as rich, successful people and foreigners.
In most cases, he said, the victim made an online money transfer to a local bank account and was tricked into tying a knot
"Despite various announcements through the media on love scams, there are still individuals, married or single, who become victims and suffer losses," he said.