KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — A student of a private higher learning institution in Damansara lost RM5,250 after being duped by a foreigner who offered lucrative money for old coins.
Petaling Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said the suspect offered RM80,000 for eight old coins belonging to the 18-year-old victim.
He said the suspect contacted the victim through a social media account before proceeding with the transaction using an international telephone number.
“The suspect claimed to have made a payment into the victim’s account after seeing the picture of the old coins but the money was supposedly blocked for withdrawal.
“The victim was then instructed to deposit transaction charges into an account owned by a local man which was believed to be a mule account and had made seven transactions into the same account,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Nik Ezanee said the victim lodged a report on March 1 after realising he had been duped when the suspect never instructed him to send the old coins even though payment had allegedly been made.
In a separate case, a female beautician suspected of drink driving and crashing into a roadblock at the Damansara toll plaza exit was arrested by the police early yesterday.
Nik Ezanee said in the 1.05am incident, a Toyota Harrier driven by a 32-year-old woman crashed into a roadblock while a team of personnel was on duty.
“The alcohol breath analyser test found that the woman was under the influence of alcohol above the prescribed limit.
“The suspect was given police bail and the case is being investigated under Section 45A (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987,” he said.
— Bernama
