By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-12-18 04:20:01 | Updated at 2024-12-18 06:53:38
2 hours ago
An accountant in Malaysia who thought she had met the love of her life through social media, engaging in an online “courtship” that lasted nearly seven years, had a rude awakening when she uncovered the painful truth: she had been scammed.
The 67-year-old woman lost more than 2 million ringgit (US$485,000) in what authorities are calling one of the longest-running love scams on record. Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, the director of Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department, revealed details of the case at a press conference on Tuesday.
The saga began in October 2017 when the woman connected with the scammer on Facebook. “According to the victim, the scammer introduced himself as an American businessman working in the medical equipment procurement field in Singapore,” Ramli said.
After a month of online interaction, the two developed a closer bond and entered into a virtual relationship. Soon after, the man claimed he wanted to move to Malaysia but lacked the funds for travel. Eager to help, she made her first bank transfer of 5,000 ringgit (US$1,200), a decision that would lead to a devastating cascade of requests.
The scammer continued to solicit money, fabricating excuses ranging from personal difficulties to business troubles. “In total, she had been duped into making 306 bank transfers into 50 different bank accounts,” Ramli explained, noting that the victim had borrowed money from friends and family to cover expenses that exceeded 2.21 million ringgit.
