A 40-year-old school teacher from Maran has been left devastated after losing RM230,000 to a syndicate that pretended to be government and financial officials.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the incident started on June 16, when the teacher received a phone call from a person who claimed to be an insurance officer. The caller told her that her name was linked to suspicious financial activities.
The call was then transferred to several other people who introduced themselves as police officers, a deputy public prosecutor, and representatives of Bank Negara Malaysia. These individuals convinced her that she was under investigation for money laundering.
According to Yahaya, the syndicate told the victim that 23 bank accounts had been registered under her name and were being used for illegal money transfers. The victim was warned that she could be arrested if she failed to cooperate.
Instructions From the Syndicate
The scammers then instructed the teacher to open a new bank account under her name. She was also told to apply for a personal loan, pawn her jewellery, and transfer all the money into the newly opened account.
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Pawning jewellery means handing over valuable items such as gold or ornaments to a pawnshop in exchange for cash. Victims can usually buy the items back later, but in many scam cases the jewellery is never recovered because the money is redirected by fraudsters.
Believing she was acting under official orders, the teacher followed the instructions carefully. Between June 24 and September 2, she carried out 11 transactions, transferring money into different bank accounts provided by the syndicate.
In total, the amount lost came to RM230,447. The victim genuinely believed that the money would be used to protect her from arrest and stop her assets from being frozen.
“The victim thought that these payments would delay the issuance of an arrest warrant and prevent her accounts from being frozen,” said Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman in his statement.
The syndicate’s tactics relied heavily on creating fear and urgency. By posing as multiple officials from different agencies, the scammers made their story appear believable. The victim, frightened and confused, thought she was helping the authorities.
Victim Realises She Was Cheated
After the transactions were completed, the victim eventually realised she had been deceived. By then, the syndicate had already drained the funds. She immediately lodged a police report.
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Police investigations confirmed that the teacher had been tricked by a professional fraud group. The case highlights how syndicates use elaborate methods to manipulate their victims into compliance.
Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman urged members of the public to be cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers, especially when the callers claim to be from government agencies. He explained that no official agency will ever ask people to open bank accounts or transfer money as part of an investigation.
He also advised the public to verify suspicious bank accounts through the Semak Mule portal. The Semak Mule portal is a free online service provided by the police that allows anyone to check whether a bank account or phone number has been previously reported for scams.
In addition, he reminded the public that those who suspect they are being targeted by scams should immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 for assistance.
Police continue to warn that scammers often use fear, urgency, and fake authority to pressure victims. Even educated individuals can fall prey when such tactics are used.
This case serves as a reminder that vigilance and verification are the best defences against online and phone scams.