GEORGE TOWN, July 5 – Two Penang retirees have collectively lost RM1.15 million to online investment scams that lured victims through Facebook and Instagram ads promising high returns, police confirmed today.
The victims—aged 55 and 56—were tricked into transferring funds across multiple accounts via investment apps, only to later find themselves unable to withdraw their supposed profits without paying fraudulent “withdrawal fees.”
In a related case, a 35-year-old engineer was duped into transferring RM336,760 after receiving a phone call from a scammer impersonating a Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission officer. The call, which later connected her to a fake police officer, claimed her number was linked to criminal activity and coerced her into transferring all her savings for “investigation purposes.”
Penang police are investigating all cases under Section 420 of the Penal Code and have urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious calls or online ads through official verification channels like semakmule.rmp.gov.my or the NSRC hotline at 997.
