Dentist loses RM220,000 to scammers

JOHOR BARU: It is a sombre Hari Raya for a dentist who fell for a scam and missing a lot more than RM220,000 – most of which he experienced borrowed. The modus operandi was all so predictable – a caller alleged that he was involved in insurance plan fraud and cash laundering.

It is learnt that the dentist, in his 40s, fearful about being shamed, took out financial loans and borrowed from buddies and family to increase the total.

Sources mentioned the dentist acquired a phone many days in the past from a “medical employees member” who alleged that he experienced created a bogus insurance plan claim with a regional personal clinic.

When the dentist denied it, the subsequent move of the rip-off kicked in – the get in touch with was transferred to a “policeman” at the district law enforcement headquarters who threatened to arrest him.

“The sufferer was reminded that the festive period was approaching and it would be embarrassing if he was place in the lock-up,” a source stated.

The dentist was informed to open a new financial institution account and transfer all his money there when police investigated his other accounts.

The dentist did as instructed, and transferred about RM220,000 kept in various accounts to the new account. Most of the cash ended up financial loans.

He was afterwards directed to expose his new lender account aspects.

The sources mentioned the dentist only realised that he experienced been conned when the scammers continued to demand from customers for far more dollars.

By the time the dentist came to his senses, just about all his cost savings had been wiped clear from the new account. He then lodged a police report.

Scammers also acquired the higher hand in one more scenario involving a pupil, who was baited with free of charge mobile phone calls and cash vouchers totalling RM1,000 – only to reduce RM120,000, which bundled her father’s cash.

Resources mentioned the scam transpired many times ago when the student, in her 20s, bought a phone from another person supposedly from a telecommunications enterprise.

The caller informed the sufferer that she had been chosen and would not want to pay back her expenditures for a number of months.

“They promised her vouchers totalling RM1,000 to be credited into her account. They questioned her to fill up an on line variety detailing her bank account and lender card particulars and also her father’s financial institution aspects as a guarantor,” a supply said.

It is learnt that in several hours, massive sums of funds was withdrawn from equally accounts totalling RM120,000. The target then lodged a police report.

A law enforcement officer verified equally instances and reported investigations have been less than way below Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

He urged the community to be mindful about supplying their lender particulars to strangers and to get in touch with the law enforcement hotline at 07-221 2999 for assistance.