Pauh: A female teacher in Pauh, Arau lost RM23,000 after she was believed to have been duped by a phone scam syndicate from individuals posing as a Touch ‘n Go officer and the authorities on May 29.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Arau district police chief Supt Ahmad Mohsin Md Rodi stated that the 26-year-old teacher received a phone call from an individual introducing himself as a Touch ‘n Go officer at 12.21 pm while she was at school. The caller informed her that her Touch ‘n Go account had been used to steal money from someone else’s account.

The call was then allegedly connected to individuals posing as authorities from the Penang police contingent headquarters, who falsely claimed that the teacher was involved in money laundering and drug smuggling crimes.

The teacher was instructed to transfer RM23,000 to a bank account provided by the suspect in a single transaction to prevent her bank account from being frozen. She complied with the request and made the transaction on the same day.

Ahmad Mohsin reported that the teacher only realized she had been scammed after rechecking the information and subsequently lodged a police report on May 30. The case is currently being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code by the Commercial Crime Investigation Division of Perlis IPK.

He also issued a reminder to the public not to panic if they receive calls claiming their involvement in a crime.