KUANTAN: A businessman and a retired banker lost their savings amounting to more than RM458,985 after being tricked into participating in a non-existent investment last year.

       Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the 47-year-old businessman was lured into participating in the stock investment scheme which he found on Facebook in September last year because of the lucrative profits it promised.

       He said the victim claimed he was introduced to digital currency using the "Accerx" platform.

       "He (victim) started making a digital currency exchange transfer of RM3,000 and made subsequent transactions because he was attracted by the display on the platform which showed a monetary gain amounting to RM20,802,876.08.

       "The victim made a total of 16 transactions to six different bank accounts resulting in losses amounting to RM383,000," he said in a statement Friday (Jan 26).

       Meanwhile, Yahaya said a 56-year-old retired banker was also deceived by the same tactics, resulting in him losing RM75,985 in August last year.

       He said the victim started making a digital currency exchange transfers of RM500 and then made subsequent transactions lured by the display on the platform which showed a profit of RM109,985.45.

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       Tan Sri Ir Dr Lim Hock San is MGB Berhad group executive chairman

       "Both victims realised that they had been scammed after they were informed that someone had filed a complaint against them (victims) for money laundering and they were required to withdraw all the profits.

       "They were told to first pay 1% of the total profit, failing which it would be forfeited,” he added.

       Yahaya said the two victims lodged their reports at the Temerloh District Police Headquarters on Thursday (Jan 24) and the police were investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. - Bernama