Company director loses RM6.2 million over suspected business email hacking

JOHOR BAHRU - A company director in this district lost RM6.2 million believed due to business email hacking last year.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said on Aug 9, police received a report on the case involving a 54-year-old company director.

He said the losses were experienced when the victim received an email from a supplier ordering payment to be made to a bank account.

"From investigation, it was found that in Feb last year, the complainant’s company made a machine purchase from abroad costing about RM6,216,840 and had made payment to the account provided.

"The complainant was later informed that the supplier did not receiver any payment and did not sent any email ordering a change in the account number,” he said in a statement today.

Kamarul Zaman said the complainant had checked the received e-mail and found that there was a difference in the sender's e-mail address and suspected that his company's e-mail had been hacked.

He said it caused the company to make payments into another account.

"The case is investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code and if found guilty can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and can be whipped and fined.

"Johor police advise the public and companies to be more careful when dealing with payments, especially when they receive an e-mail that instructs the payment to be made to an account other than the one normally used," he said.

Kamarul Zaman reminded the people to check and confirm directly with the supplier first and the company is also advised to always improve the level of security of their respective computer systems. - BERNAMA