Sibu: The case of a 65-year-old retiree who lost more than RM9,000 after falling victim to a fake fruit sale on Facebook should serve as a warning for Malaysians to be more cautious when browsing online.
Sibu MP Oscar Ling said the incident highlights the growing need for the public to practise “digital hygiene” to protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated online scams.
“Never share personal information on social media, and avoid clicking on suspicious links. These links can lead to dangerous websites or install malware on your phone,” he warned.
Ling said that the victim, known only as Tan, had come across an online advertisement for fruit on September 18.
“Believing it to be from a local vendor, she clicked the link and was redirected to a WhatsApp group operated by scammers.
“There, she was told to follow instructions to complete her “purchase”. When she expressed reluctance to buy the minimum RM50 worth of fruit, the scammer offered to send her a “manual” file instead,” he said in a press conference during Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sibu mobile counter event here last weekend.
Ling said, after opening the file and repeatedly pressing “OK” on several pop-up windows, Tan realised something was amiss.
“By the time she tried to stop the process, it was too late – the scammers had already compromised her phone and transferred RM9,650 out of her account,” he said.
According to Ling, Tan lodged a police report the same day, and investigations later revealed that the money had been moved to a newly established online bank account, which he suspects was a mule account.
Ling said he has urged the victim’s bank to conduct a thorough investigation, as Tan claimed she never authorised the transfer nor received any verification call from the bank.
Ling revealed that the victim was later contacted again by an unknown individual who offered “legal services” to help her recover the lost money.
“This shows that the victim has already been identified by the syndicate as a target, and they are attempting to scam her a second time,” he said.
Public urged to stay vigilant
Ling also reminded the public not to assist strangers in withdrawing money from automated teller machines (ATMs), as doing so could make them complicit in financial crimes.
“The newly-amended law has been passed in Parliament, and the maximum penalty now includes a fine of RM100,000, and a seven-year prison sentence, or both.
“Taking money from someone’s account without their consent is an offence,” he said.
