KOTA KINABALU: A manager of a tourism centre in Ranau was duped out of nearly RM500,000 after being tricked by scammers that he was involved in a company behind money laundering and drugs.

       Ranau OCPD Deputy Supt Simiun Lomudin said the 35-year-old victim had transferred money to various bank accounts provided by the scammers since he was first contacted on April 6.

       DSP Simiun said, in a statement Friday (April 29), that the victim only lodged a police report upon realising that he had been scammed.

       He said the victim reported receiving a call from a man who claimed to be an officer of the Kedah Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

       The caller told him that his name was used for a company that had a tax arrears of RM26,000.

       “The victim denied involvement in the company and the caller immediately connected him to a second suspect posing as a 'Sergeant Tengku Iskandar' based in Kedah.

       "The second suspect told the victim that he was involved in drug trafficking and money laundering activities," DSP Simiun added.

       He said the second suspect then connected him to another alleged senior officer who claimed to be able to revoke the arrest warrant but the victim had to deposit a sum of money into the account provided.

       The victim then continued to follow the instructions and continued to withdraw money and deposited into several accounts in stages amounting to RM444,600.

       After a final transfer of RM68,300 to the suspect's account, he became suspicious when he was instructed to deposit another RM216,000 into the other account provided.

       He said police are investigating the case for cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

       DSP Simiun said the Macau scam was the third case reported in Ranau district involving the similar modus operandi.