Kuching: A construction worker was cheated out of his entire life savings amounting to RM56,000 by a scammer posing as a police officer earlier this month.
According to DAP Sarawak Chairman Chong Chieng Jen, the victim, Mr. Chu, received a call on 13 October 2025 from a mobile number, 013-657 8066, where the caller falsely claimed to be a police officer.
“The caller alleged that Mr. Chu’s bank account had been misused by unauthorised persons and instructed him to transfer his savings to “Bank Negara Malaysia” pending an investigation.
“Mr. Chu panicked and, without suspecting any foul play, went to the Bank Rakyat ATM where he maintains his account to make the transfer as directed by the caller,” Chong said in a statement.
Unfamiliar with how to conduct such a transaction, Mr. Chu followed step-by-step instructions from the scammer over the phone. On 13 October 2025, he transferred RM30,000 to an RHB Bank account (No. 1040 7200 0411 73), and on the following day, 14 October 2025, he transferred another RM26,000 to a Maybank account (No. 1629 9104 8087).
After completing the second transfer, Mr. Chu realized he might have fallen victim to a scam and, with the help of a friend, lodged a police report on 17 October 2025.
“Even after lodging the report, the scammer continued to contact him through phone calls and WhatsApp messages, even sending a photo of a supposed high-ranking police officer to pressure him into transferring more money,” Chong said.
Chong, who later intervened on Mr. Chu’s behalf, wrote to the Commissioner of Police of Sarawak to highlight the victim’s plight and urged personal attention to ensure the culprits are brought to justice.
He also questioned the apparent ease with which such funds are moved through the country’s banking system despite existing electronic tracking systems and CCTV surveillance.
“In all these scam cases, the money remains within the banking system and should be traceable. The scammers must physically withdraw the cash for it to leave the system,” Chong said.
“It is puzzling how such withdrawals can occur without detection. Are banks failing to cooperate effectively in combating scams, simply washing their hands of responsibility once funds are transferred to another bank?”
Chong, who is also Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman, called on the authorities and banking institutions to strengthen coordination and response mechanisms to curb the rising number of online and phone scams, which continue to prey on unsuspecting members of the public.
