File photo for illustration purposes
SIBU (Oct 15): A 60-year-old administrative staff here has lost RM47,500 of her savings in yet another love scam.
Sibu police chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit said the victim befriended a man named Richie Weng on Facebook in July.
He said that after four months of friendship, the man told the victim via WhatsApp that he would be coming to Malaysia to marry her.
“The suspect also informed her that he had sent gifts in the form of cash in US dollars, a watch, gold necklace and a handphone as token of their friendship.
“On Oct 3, the suspect told the victim that the parcel containing the gifts had been detained by the Customs Department,” he said in a statement today.
Stanley said that the suspect informed the victim to make payment in order to release the parcel.
She heeded and transferred RM47,000 in two transactions to two bank accounts, he said.
“She was told that from the amount, RM12,000 was for ‘Anti-Terrorist Clearance Certificate’ and RM35,000 for ‘Insurance Certificate’,” he said.
She was asked to make payment again but ran out of money.
The victim felt cheated and lodged a police report on Wednesday.
Police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.