A GOVERNMENT retiree lost RM186,450 after being duped in a phone scam on Thursday.

Taiping district police chief Razlam Ab Hamid said the man, 42, lodged a police report about the matter yesterday, stating he had received a phone call from the number 012-2334005 from an unknown male claiming to be an officer from the Kuala Lumpur post office.

“The man claimed that there was a parcel containing the victim’s identity card and several credit cards to be sent to Sarawak,” he said, adding that the victim was then directed by the man to lodge an online complaint with the Malacca district police headquarters after he denied knowing about the package.

The victim was then connected by phone to a second suspect, who claimed to be a police officer with a “Datuk” title. The victim was told he had to transfer RM146,450 to an account provided for investigation purposes.

The victim was in a state of panic and confusion. He made 38 transfers to six bank accounts totalling RM186,450 from Thursday till yesterday.

He was then told by the second suspect that he would be contacted after the investigation was completed within 30 minutes.

The victim realised he had been scammed after he did not receive any call and the number was blocked when he made a call. – Bernama, August 27, 2023.