Johor police chief M Kumar said the 75-year-old man lodged a police report yesterday, claiming that he had been taking part in the investment scheme since Dec 19 last year.

“The WhatsApp messages he received provided information on how to invest and promised good returns within a short time.

“He was told to download an app and registered a bank account to monitor his investments,” Kumar said in a statement today.

He said the syndicate told the victim he had made a profit of RM12.9 million as a result of his investments.

However, the accountant was asked to pay a commission of RM1.6 million before he could access it.

“The victim refused to pay the commission after suspecting he had been cheated,” Kumar said.