ACP Zailanni Amit
SIBU: A total of 13 Internet scams have been recorded here this year with victims suffering losses totalling RM256,186.
Sibu police chief ACP Zailanni Amit said the victims were aged between 23 and 64, adding they were cheated by strangers they had befriended online but had never met.
“‘Romance might have flourished between two friends on social networks; cheating often occurred when one of them said they had valuable gifts to send,” he explained.
He said in some cases the victims would receive calls claiming to be from airport customs officers saying they had the gifts but required a processing fee for the items to be released.
Zailanni said some victims readily believed these claims and, without verification, deposited the money as requested.
“Normally, after they had sent the money, they lost all contact and their gifts never came.
“By then they realised they had been cheated but it was too late already,” he said.
He called on the public not to fall victim to such scams.