PETALING JAYA: Scammers not only phoned a senior citizen, they visited her at home under the pretence of recording her statement after duping her into thinking her details were used in criminal activities.

The 72-year-old woman ended up losing around RM670,994 in cash, jewellery, and gold bars.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said that the retiree filed a report regarding the incident on Sept 27.

The victim had first been contacted by the scammers on Sept 20, claiming that her phone number had been used in cybercrimes.

She was then told that she required “private information and funds protection”, before being forwarded to a “police officer” who added that she was also involved in illegal money laundering.

“For their supposed investigation the victim had to consolidate her savings into one bank account. She was then told to hand over the banking details to the ‘police’.

“The scammers also told her to surrender her jewellery and gold bars to a designated person who came to her home to supposedly record her statement,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Comm Ramli said 86,266 people fell victim to online scams between 2021 and 2023. Of that, 6.4% were victims aged 61 years and older, with losses amounting to RM552,512,423.

From January to August 2024, a total of 21,535 victims fell to online scams, with 8.9% being senior citizens.

Of that, RM255,367,680 in losses were linked to senior victims, making up 27.9% of the total losses recorded in the same period (RM914,051,236).

“The police urge all family members to advise parents, relatives and friends to always stay vigilant and to not entertain any suspicious calls from supposed private or government agencies,” he said.

He added that online scams are avoidable if victims maintain vigilance and keep themselves informed.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/29/scammers-makinghousecalls-too