Wanted! Suspect who stole and returned RM1.03 million from businessman's account

 

Kuching police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahsmon Bajah gestures during a press conference at the district police headquarters. -NSTP/NADIM BOKHARI

KUCHING: Police are hunting for a suspect in a cheating case involving RM1.03 million, which had been stolen and subsequently returned to a businessman here recently.

District police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahsmon Bajah said it was investigating the bank account used to transfer the money.

He said police would also determine if the account, which was registered under the name of a renowned telecommunication company, was valid.

"The RM1.03 million was returned to the victim, but further investigations are being done to trace the culprit. We are also ascertaining the bank account, which was registered under a telecommunication company's name.

"The police will update the public about the case once investigations are completed," he told a press conference at the Kuching district police headquarters here today.

Ahsmon said the suspect had transfered RM1 million from the victim's savings account, and another RM30,000 from the latter's credit card on Feb 26.

He said the incident happened after the victim, a businessman, answered a telephone call from the suspect, who had claimed to be someone from Poslaju.

The person had asked the victim to give the suspect a One Time Password (OTP), which was sent to the suspect's handphone via short message service.

The money eventually was credited into the victim's bank account again on Tuesday evening by the telecommunication company.

It was learnt that the bank could not provide any explanation behind the illegal transaction.

Ahsmon said the victim immediately lodged a police report and contacted the bank after he realised that the money was missing from his account.

He said based on this report, the Kuching police together with a special team from Bukit Aman quickly acted on tracing the transaction.

"The money that was being transfered by the suspect was still pending at the bank. That was why we successfully got back the money quickly," he said.

Meanwhile, Ahsmon said the Kuching police recorded six Macau scam cases involving losses amounting to RM77,328.96 last year.

He said between Jan 1 and Feb 28 this year, five Macau scam cases with losses of RM1,136,842 were reported. - NST