In a distressing flip of occasions, a retiree in her 50s has fallen prey to a fraudulent crypto funding scheme, shedding her life financial savings and retirement funds from the Workers Provident Fund (EPF) totaling over RM200,000. The bogus enterprise deal, promising to multiply her cash by an astounding 45 instances, focused the unsuspecting lady with an preliminary funding of RM2,000 in a cryptocurrency-related enterprise.
The unlucky sufferer joined a social media group named “Cuba Untuk Berjaya” (strive to achieve success) a number of days in the past, the place she encountered the scammers. Based on sources, she was enticed with the prospect of gaining RM90,000 in returns inside hours, however the scammers insisted on an upfront payment of 10% of the returns earlier than processing the whole cost into her account.
Regardless of preliminary reluctance, the scammers employed varied ways, together with displaying pretend photos of her funding purportedly skyrocketing into the hundreds of thousands, to persuade the retiree to switch a complete of RM200,000 in “payment funds” to a number of financial institution accounts. The belief of the rip-off dawned on her when the promised returns, totaling greater than RM2 million, did not materialize. Subsequently, she reported the incident to the police.
In a separate however equally distressing incident, a businessman in his 40s discovered himself deceived after trying to buy gold bars at a reduced price. The businessman, hopeful of securing a very good deal, agreed to purchase 2kg of gold bars for RM500,000, a value far under the market price of virtually RM296,000 per kg.
The transaction occurred at a serious lodge within the metropolis, the place the businessman handed over the money to the purported vendor. The customer then instructed going upstairs to his room to depend the cash and return with the gold bars. Hours later, the businessman found that he had been swindled, with the lodge having no information of the vendor’s keep.
Authorities have confirmed each circumstances, and investigations are underway beneath Part 420 of the Penal Code for dishonest. These incidents underscore the urgency for elevated vigilance and public consciousness to thwart such scams and defend potential victims from monetary fraud within the evolving panorama of digital investments.
