KUANTAN (Bernama): A housewife claims she lost RM7,500 after she was allegedly cheated of selling her old coins to an unknown individual last month.

Pahang Commercial Criminal Investigation Department chief Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said on Tuesday (Nov 5) that the 36-year-old victim claimed that on Oct 25, she received a WhatsApp message from a man known as “Mr Kaypaul” who said he was looking for old coins.

"The victim was drawn to the high price offered by the man and agreed to sell her old coins for RM5,000 with the agreement that the payment would be made on the same day.

"At 1.26 p.m., the suspect informed her that the money had been transferred into her account, but she had to pay the administrative fees before she could withdraw it as it was an overseas transaction, ” Mohd Wazir told Bernama here Tuesday.

He said the victim believed the claim and deposited the money for the administrative fees 20 times totalling RM7,500, into four accounts provided by the suspect until Monday (Nov 4).

However, she became suspicious when she did not get the payments for the coins as agreed and lodged a police report at the Temerloh District Police Headquarters near here Monday.

Investigations are being conducted under Section 420 of the Penal Code which provides for a prison sentence of up to 10 years and caning, and can be imposed a fine, if proven guilty.

In a separate case, a gardener’s dream of expanding his business selling agriculture apparatus were dashed after he was cheated by a non-existent online loan company, causing him to lose RM20,200.

Mohd Wazir said the victim, 25, from Cameron Highlands, claimed he saw the company’s advertisement in October, and dealt with a suspect known as Kent, to procure a loan of RM30,000

"The suspect informed him that the application had been instantly approved, with monthly payments of RM780 to be paid over four years, but the victim had to pay the administrative and lawyers’ fees before getting the loan amount.

"The victim only found out he had been cheated when he added up the money and realised that the amount as almost the same amount as the loan, and he lodged a police report, ” Mohd Wazir said. - Bernama