The woman went to the Sarawak DAP headquarters in Kuching recently to seek help over her plight, Borneo Post reported.

According to state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, the woman, who wished not to be named, had endured the psychological pressure of being scammed and then reprimanded by her children after losing all her savings.

“With no one else to turn to, she sought help from the state DAP,” he was quoted as saying.

Chong said the woman received a phone call from the bogus officer in August, alleging that she was involved in a scam and needed a thorough investigation of her bank account.

He said the scammers had forged invoices and mailed them to the victim under the names of two different companies to cover up the purpose of the transfers.

The woman transferred RM388,000 and RM318,000, respectively, to the two companies as stated by the scammers based on the “invoices”, he said.

“She did not tell anyone, including her children, about what had happened, as she was afraid.

“Only recently, when she heard about a similar scam while chatting with a friend, did she realise she had been cheated.”

Chong said the chances of recovering the money are slim as a few weeks had passed since the funds were transferred.
.
He said this case must serve as a reminder to all, particularly the elderly, to be more vigilant and alert for scammers preying on them by impersonating government officers.

He also urged everyone to discuss with their family if they receive any phone calls or WhatsApp messages requesting them to transfer money or provide account information.

“Never make decisions alone, and never transfer money in a hurry. Once money is transferred, it is often impossible to recover,” he said.