The victim, Lim Lye Bee, 53, said he received a message on his handphone from an individual claiming to be a bank officer, saying there was a transaction of RM4,299 from a jewellery shop.
“I was told to call the number given if I did not make the transaction. When I called the number, a woman said that I had RM7,900.45 arrears for my Visa Platinium credit card which was registered under my name on Aug 25.
“The woman told me my name had been misused by others and asked me to contact Bank Negara on the number given for further investigation,” he told reporters in a press conference at Penang MCA Public Complaints Bureau which was attended by Penang MCA public service and complaints bureau chief, Gui Guat Lye.
Lim, who has been an accountant for the past 27 years, said he called the telephone number given by the woman, and a man who claimed to be a Bank Negara officer advised him to close all of his bank accounts and give him (the suspect) his account number.
He was told that a senior officer from Bank Negara would contact him.
“After that, I received a call from a man claiming to be a Bank Negara officer and asked me to transfer my savings to two accounts purportedly controlled by the central bank.
“The accounts were under the name of Looi Kai Weng and Low Chie Seng. I made nine transactions from my two accounts,” he said, adding that he followed the syndicate’s instructions and did not suspect anything.
He said the man informed him that the controlled accounts and the details of the case would be handed to him after the matter was settled but he never received any feedback until today.
He subsequently lodged a police report.
Meanwhile Timur Laut district police chief ACP Anuar Omar said police were investigating the matter.
He advised the public not to be deceived and to check with Bank Negara to avoid being victims of the scam.