KUANTAN: A student of a public university claimed to have lost RM42,500 while trying to buy video game currency advertised on Instagram.

       Pahang Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said the victim, 22, claimed that he contacted the owner of the Instagram account on Friday after finding the currency was being sold at a lower price compared to online shopping platforms.

       “The victim claimed that the offer was only RM600 for 38,400 currencies and this prompted him to transfer the money to the account given by the suspect.

       “The suspect then allegedly contacted the victim to ask for more money for various reasons, including for the exchange of the currency before it could be credited to the victim’s video game account,” Bernama quoted him as saying in a statement yesterday.

       Mohd Wazir said the victim claimed to have initially used his own savings amounting to RM1,705 to buy the currency but was still asked to continue making payments to gain access to the currency, causing him to use his mother’s savings.

       The victim’s mother, who is a government retiree, is said to have given him her online banking password to manage his personal payment transactions before.

       “The victim only realised he had been cheated after making 10 online transactions to three accounts in two days,” he said.

       The victim lodged a report at the Jaya Gading police station on Saturday.