Latest news with #Mancha
Borneo Post
4 days ago
- Borneo Post
Elderly man in Sibu loses RM800,000 to fake online investment scheme
Photo for illustration purposes only. — Photo from Pixabay SIBU (July 21): A former trader in his 70s lost nearly RM800,000 to a non-existent stock investment scheme after ignoring warnings from his family, according to Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata. Mancha said the incident began in mid-June when the victim came across an online investment offer for 'GVD Coins' while browsing Facebook. 'The victim, who was enticed by the scheme, asked his family members to prepare a certain amount of money for the investment. 'His family members advised the victim not to easily trust in investments offered online but he ignored their advice. 'In this case, the victim carried out several monetary transactions in stages into the bank account provided by the suspect amounting to about RM800,000,' he said in a statement. Realising he had been scammed after failing to receive any returns, the victim lodged a police report. Mancha cautioned the public against falling for online investment schemes that promise high returns in a short time, stressing that these are often too good to be true. 'The people are also encouraged to check the list of approved investment companies or websites at the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) website or BNM Telelink 1-300-88-5465 or for the Securities Commission. 'Individuals who suspect they have fallen victim to cybercrime including phone scams, love scams, e-commerce fraud, or bogus loans should immediately contact the National Scam Response Center (NSRC) at 997 if they have just completed a fund transfer to the scammer's account or e-wallet,' he said. The police also recommended additional tools and platforms, such as the Whoscall mobile application, Investment Checker via or Check Scammers CCID app or the website for verifying suspect phone numbers or bank accounts. crime elderly investment scam Mancha Ata
Borneo Post
09-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Miri retiree falls for fake online investment scam, loses RM500,000
Mancha says the victim in mid-May came across an advertisement on Facebook promoting an investment opportunity. — Bernama photo MIRI (July 9): A retiree in his 60s here has reported losses amounting to nearly half a million ringgit after falling for a non-existent investment scheme. Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata said the victim in mid-May came across an advertisement on Facebook promoting an investment opportunity. 'After clicking on the link, the victim was contacted by a woman who added him to a WhatsApp group called 'Aleesya Stock Trading'. 'The victim was convinced to invest nearly RM500,000, and he transferred the funds in stages to bank accounts provided by the suspect,' he said in a statement today. Mancha said the victim had received a return of RM65,000 but was asked to pay additional payments to secure the release of the rest of his profits. 'He realised at this point that he had been cheated and filed a police report,' he added. He reminded the public not to easily trust investment offers advertised on social media platforms, especially those that promise high returns. investment miri retiree scam
Borneo Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Padawan retiree loses RM500,000 in online investment scam
The incident began in mid-March, when the victim came across an online advertisement claiming to offer free investment courses. – File photo KUCHING (July 8): A retiree in his 70s from Padawan lost approximately RM500,000 after falling victim to an online investment scam involving a fake financial company. Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata confirmed that the local man lodged a police report after realising he had been duped by a scheme linked to a company known as HIFA (Himin International Finance Academy). The incident began in mid-March, when the victim came across an online advertisement claiming to offer free investment courses. 'Enticed by the offer, the victim submitted his personal details via a link provided in the advertisement. He was subsequently contacted by an unknown individual, who then added him to a WhatsApp group named 'Homin International Finance Academic'. 'The suspect, who acted as the administrator of the group, instructed the victim to download an app called 'PHCview' as part of the investment process,' he said. Trusting the scheme, Mancha said the victim proceeded to make several money transfers in stages to bank accounts provided by the suspect, totalling around RM500,000. The scam only came to light when the victim came across a newspaper article describing similar fraudulent investment tactics. By the time he lodged a police report, the victim had yet to receive any of the promised returns. Mancha then reminded the public not to easily trust investment offers advertised on social media platforms. Authorities strongly encourage conducting proper background checks before committing to any form of investment. 'To verify the legitimacy of financial companies and websites, the public is urged to visit or call BNM TELELINK at 1-300-88-5465 (Bank Negara Malaysia); visit or call 03-6204 8999 (Securities Commission Malaysia). 'Individuals who suspect they've fallen victim to cybercrime—including phone scams, love scams, e-commerce fraud, or bogus loans—should immediately contact the National Scam Response Center (NSRC) at 997 if they have just completed a fund transfer to the scammer's account or e-wallet,' he said. The police also recommended additional tools and platforms, such as the Whoscall mobile application, Investment Checker via or Check Scammers CCID app or the website for verifying suspect phone numbers or bank accounts. crime Mancha Ata online scam senior citizen
Borneo Post
05-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Senior exec in Bintulu loses RM600,000 in online investment scam
Photo for illustration purposes only. — Photo by Thallen Merlin/Pexels BINTULU (July 5): A senior company executive in his 60s has fallen victim to an online investment scam, suffering losses amounting to approximately RM600,000, said Sarawak Police Commissioner Dato Mancha Ata. He said the victim lodged a police report after realising he had been duped by a fraudulent investment scheme that began in early March this year. 'The victim, while at home, came across an online advertisement promoting a foreign currency investment opportunity, purportedly linked to an established financial institution,' Mancha said in a statement yesterday. Upon clicking the link, the victim was contacted by an individual claiming to represent JP Morgan. The suspect instructed the victim to download an application via a provided link and guided him through the process of investing via what appeared to be a legitimate platform. 'Over a period of time, the victim made several transactions totalling about RM600,000 into various bank accounts supplied by the suspect,' Mancha said. The scam came to light when the suspect repeatedly requested additional payments, claiming they were necessary to release the investment returns. Suspicious of the continuous demands, the victim eventually realised he had been scammed. To date, the victim has only managed to recover RM441 from the so-called investment. Mancha urged the public to exercise caution when encountering investment opportunities online, especially those promoted through unsolicited links or messages. 'Do not be easily influenced by investment offers advertised on social media or unfamiliar websites. Always conduct background checks and verify the legitimacy of the company or platform before making any financial commitment,' he advised. He encouraged the public to utilise tools such as the Whoscall mobile application available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store to screen unknown calls and reduce exposure to scam-related risks. Mancha also advised the public to check the status of any investment company or website via the official portals of Bank Negara Malaysia ( BNM Telelink: 1-300-88-5465) or the Securities Commission Malaysia ( tel: 03-6204 8999). 'For individuals who have just made a transaction to a suspected scam account or e-wallet, it is critical to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) via the 997 hotline,' he added. The case is currently under investigation.
Borneo Post
26-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Civil servant in Miri loses RM1.1 mln to suspected online investment scam
Her doubts began when she was unable to withdraw the promised profits. – Bernama photo MIRI (June 26): A civil servant in Miri has lost RM1.1 million after allegedly falling victim to a non-existent online investment scheme. In a statement today, Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata said the woman, in her 30s, lodged a police report recently after realising she had been allegedly scammed by an individual impersonating an investment representative. The incident began in early December 2024, when the victim was contacted by the suspect, who offered what appeared to be a lucrative investment opportunity. She was instructed to download an app via a provided link and was promised high returns within a short period. Trusting the scheme, she transferred money in stages into a bank account given by the suspect, amounting to around RM1.1 million in total. Her doubts began when she was unable to withdraw the promised profits. Despite this, the suspect continued to demand additional payments, claiming they were necessary to process the withdrawal. 'At the time the police report was lodged, the victim had not received any of the promised returns,' Mancha said. Authorities say the case underscores the growing threat of online investment scams, particularly those targeting individuals seeking quick financial returns. Mancha advised the public to verify the legitimacy of any investment platform through official channels such as Bank Negara Malaysia at and the Securities Commission Malaysia at before committing any funds. 'Anyone who has recently transferred money to suspicious accounts or e-wallets is advised to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) by dialling 997,' he said. He also recommended using scam-identifying tools like the Whoscall app, which cross-references phone numbers against the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) database. 'Phone numbers listed in the department's 'Semak Mule' system are flagged automatically through the app,' said Mancha. As an additional safeguard, the public can verify suspicious bank account numbers or telephone lines via the police's Semak Mule portal at or check the credibility of investment companies using the Investment Checker tool provided by the Securities Commission. To stay informed about the latest scam tactics, the public are encouraged to follow JSJK PDRM and Cyber Crime Alert RMP on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. civil servant Mancha Ata miri online investment scam
