A 41-year-old bank clerk from Marang, Malaysia, fell victim to a Macau scam, losing RM115,950 (around Rs 20.29 lakh). A Macau scam involves fraudsters posing as officials, alleging that the victim is involved in illegal activities and pressuring them to transfer money to avoid legal consequences.
The scam began on September 8 when the victim received a call from someone claiming to be from an insurance company. The caller said the clerk had three unresolved insurance claims, which was then followed by a transfer to individuals pretending to be police officers and prosecutors. These impersonators accused the victim of being involved in money laundering, coercing the bank clerk to comply with their demands.
“The victim was accused of involvement in money laundering despite denying all claims,” said Asst Comm Azli Mohd Noor, Kuala Terengganu police chief, in a statement on Monday.
The scammers then convinced the victim to open a new bank account for their “investigation.” Between September 19 and November 30, the victim made six transfers, totaling RM115,950 to three different bank accounts. It wasn’t until later that the victim realized she had been scammed and reported the incident to the police on December 22 at the Kuala Terengganu district police headquarters.
Authorities are investigating the case and have warned the public to stay vigilant against such frauds.
Similar scams have also been reported in India, where cybercriminals run fake “digital arrest” schemes. In these cases, fraudsters claim the victim’s phone number is being used for illegal activities, often impersonating officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) or police officers. The scammers pressure victims to transfer money, assuring them that the funds will be refunded once their innocence is proven.
Cybercrime experts are advising people not to share personal or financial information with unfamiliar callers and to verify any such claims with the authorities before taking any action.Malaysian Bank Clerk Duped of Over Rs 20 Lakh in Macau Scam
