Scam ‘salary’ of RM85 costs 37-year-old nearly RM100,000 in online job ruse

KUALA TERENGGANU, June 12 — A 37-year-old housewife lost RM95,715 after falling victim to an online job scam that promised easy earnings but delivered only a token RM85 commission, Harian Metro reported today.

Kuala Terengganu police chief Assistant Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor said the victim was first drawn in after seeing a job advertisement on Facebook on May 8.

She then clicked on a link in the advertisement and began communicating with an unknown individual via WhatsApp, where she was offered a part-time job with attractive returns.

The victim agreed and was instructed to join a Telegram group, where she was given simple tasks and initially paid RM85 as “commission”.

Encouraged by the small payout, she proceeded to follow further instructions and carried out seven transactions to seven different bank accounts between May 8 and May 18.

Azli said the victim only received RM85 for the first two tasks before the scam escalated into larger transfers.

He said the victim only realised she had been deceived after communicating with other individuals linked to the scheme.

“The victim also used personal savings jointly owned with her husband,” he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, punishable with a jail term of between one and 10 years, a fine, and whipping.