Two women lose RM1.58 million to Macau Scam

SEREMBAN - Two women have lost a total of RM1.58 million to Macau scam in Negeri Sembilan, which has seen a sharp rise in such cheating cases this year, police said.

Negeri Sembilan Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Supt Aibee Ab Ghani said the latest Macau scam victims were a 77-year-old government pensioner and a 39-year-old teacher from Sabah, who both lodged police reports three days ago.

"The senior citizen lost RM1.186 million after receiving a call from a woman posing as an officer from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) in Cyberjaya," he said in a statement here today.

The retiree denied having tax arrears of RM18,336 under her company name but the call was then transferred to several individuals claiming to be police officers, he said.

The pensioner was deceived into giving full details of her nine bank accounts and identity card to individuals she did not know, he added.

Aibee said in the second case, the teacher in Nilai was cheated of RM394,358 after being contacted by an individual claiming to be from IRB.

"The woman received a call from a man who said she has tax arrears of RM38,000. The call was then passed to another individual who alleged the woman was involved in drug trafficking and money laundering,” he added.

He said the woman took several personal loans from banks to settle her tax arrears and other problems and banked the money into four bank accounts.

Aibee advised the public not to entertain telephone calls from anyone asking for their personal and bank account details.

He said 144 investigation papers were opened for Macau scam cases involving losses of about RM4.56 million in Negeri Sembilan from January to April 21 this year, an increase of 336 per cent compared to the same period last year when there were 33 investigation papers involving losses of RM930,000. - BERNAMA