Johor Bahru Worker Loses RM486,000 to Fake Boss Scam

A 35-year-old woman in Johor Bahru transferred RM486,000 belonging to her company after falling for a fake boss scam carried out by text message, Bernama reported on Saturday (Oct 31).

Acting Johor Bahru Utara district police chief Supt Azrol Anuar Nor said the employee received an SMS at 10am from an individual impersonating her company manager.

Fake boss scam via SMS

The sender told her to move company funds into the suspect’s account as payment for a “new contract”, according to Bernama. She went on to transfer RM486,000.

The woman realised she had been cheated only when she was asked to make another transaction of the same amount under a different pretext, police said.

Azrol said the victim had also not contacted her real employer through a WhatsApp call before she discovered that the employer’s phone number had been hacked.

Police investigating under Section 420

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, police said. No arrests were mentioned in the report.

Azrol advised the public to stay alert to any instructions to transfer money. He urged people to check accounts through the SemakMule portal, and said those who fall victim to scams can call the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) on 997.

The woman was not named in the report.

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