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A 64-year-old retired teacher from Kuala Terengganu has lost RM165,900 after being targeted by a sophisticated phone scam syndicate that used threats against her children to force compliance
The incident began on 23 November last year when the victim received a call from individuals posing as police officers and prosecutors, as reported by Bernama.
These suspects falsely alleged that the woman was implicated in money laundering activities and would soon face severe legal action.
To coerce the victim into cooperating, the scammers reportedly used intense psychological pressure, claiming that the safety of her children would be at risk if she failed to meet their demands
Kuala Terengganu police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor stated that the syndicate then instructed the retiree to take out a personal loan of RM130,000 to purportedly settle the legal matter.
Once the loan was approved, she made three separate payments totalling RM36,000 into accounts specified by the suspects.
The financial impact continued as the victim later discovered three additional unauthorised transfers from her account, amounting to RM129,900
These transactions occurred between 30 December 2025 and 15 March this year. Police believe the suspects managed to fraudulently register, activate, and access the victim's online banking services without her consent.
The victim lodged a formal police report yesterday, 5 April
ACP Azli confirmed that the case is currently being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Authorities have repeatedly advised the public to remain vigilant and to verify any claims of legal involvement with the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) via the 997 hotline.
