BUKIT MERTAJAM, Dec 16 — A clerk at a private company in Perai here lost RM359,150 after being deceived by a phone scam syndicate.

Seberang Perai Tengah Police chief ACP Helmi Aris said the 60-year-old woman lodged a report on Saturday, and further investigations are being conducted under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

“The victim reported that while at her workplace on March 7, she received a phone call from a man claiming to be a representative of an e-commerce company. He said that her personal data had been used in the sale of counterfeit medicine, which had caused a consumer to be hospitalised after using it.

“The call was then allegedly transferred to a police officer, who informed the victim that she was also implicated in money laundering and instructed her to cooperate with the police for further investigations,” he said in a statement today.

Helmi added that the woman carried out 27 transactions into nine different bank accounts, totalling RM359,150, between March 7 and October 1.

“The suspect even instructed her to attend court proceedings at Light Street on December 13. The victim attended the court and waited until all proceedings were completed, but her name was not called.

“Upon checking at the court counter, she discovered that her name was not listed in any case nor in the court records,” he said. — Bernama