Kuala Terengganu:A 70-year-old government retiree lost RM367,950 after falling victim to a non-existent online investment scheme run by a scam syndicate.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the victim was approached via WhatsApp on July 31 by a woman identifying herself as Via. The woman claimed to have sent the message mistakenly, having confused the victim for a contractor acquaintance, and proceeded to engage him in conversation.

Over time, the suspect convinced the retiree to invest in a scheme purportedly designed to generate post-retirement income. Initially, the victim made three small investments and received returns as promised, which led to further trust.

Subsequently, the victim was instructed to make larger capital payments into multiple bank accounts, allegedly linked to the investment scheme. Trusting the suspect, the retiree conducted 72 transactions involving 13 different bank accounts, amassing a total of RM367,950 between August 22 and September 30. The funds were sourced from the proceeds of a land sale.

The suspect later claimed that the victim's investment had grown to over RM800,000 but required an additional processing fee of RM80,765 for withdrawal. Realizing the possibility of being scammed, the victim refrained from paying the fee and filed a police report at 11:49 a.m. yesterday.

The case is currently under investigation under Section 420 of the Penal Code.