Malaysian housewife loses ₹27.3 lakh in social media job scam | Trending

A 38-year-old housewife from Bera, Pahang in Malaysia, lost ₹27.3 lakh after falling prey to a fraudulent part-time job scheme promoted via a social media application earlier this month, reported The Star. The victim received task links for the assignments, but the suspect later claimed errors (Freepik) According to Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman, the scam began on December 13 when the victim joined an online job platform named Hand Craft Group 049 through Telegram. The platform promised substantial profits for completing tasks related to product sales. The victim received task links for the assignments, but the suspect later claimed errors in her work and asked her to redo the tasks. During this time, the woman transferred funds amounting to 28 transactions to nine separate bank accounts, hoping to resolve the issues with the tasks. Yahaya revealed that the victim only discovered the scam when the suspect claimed she had earned a commission of RM200,000 (38.0614 lakh INR) but was unable to withdraw it. This led to the victim losing all the money from her personal savings. In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 25, Yahaya urged the public to remain cautious of job advertisements on social media that promise easy tasks with high returns. “The public should not be easily fooled advertising offers on social media, especially those that offer high profits and easy jobs,” he said. Also read: Chinese woman hires sex worker to trap husband to get divorce In another incident, a 41-year-old bank clerk from Marang, Malaysia, fell victim to a Macau scam, losing RM115,950 ( ₹20.29 lakh) to suspects impersonating police officers and prosecutors, reported The Star. Digital scamKuala Terengganu police chief Asst Comm Azli Mohd Noor revealed that the victim was first contacted on September 8 a caller claiming to be an employee of an insurance company. The caller alleged that the victim had three unresolved insurance claims. (Also read: Malaysian bank clerk loses Over ₹20 Lakh in phone Scam) Similar digital arrest scams have been on the rise in India, gaining significant attention for their deceptive tactics. In one prevalent scheme, cybercriminals falsely claim that a victim’s phone number is being misused for illegal activities. These fraudsters make multiple calls, impersonating officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) as well as police officers. They pressure victims into filing a formal complaint about the alleged misuse of their mobile number. Exploiting the victim’s fear of legal trouble, the scammers then demand monetary transfers from their bank accounts, assuring the victims that the funds will be returned once their innocence is verified