PETALING JAYA, April 10 — A senior citizen’s short trip to a hypermarket turned out to be an expensive affair after he lost RM18,000 to a conman.
The victim, identified as Rani Rahim, 76, had gone to Tesco Ampang with his wife on Tuesday evening.
A man approached them as they were walking back to their car at the car park, Cheras police chief ACP Chong Kok Sin said.
“The man introduced himself as Kevin Wong and asked them to produce his receipt and Tesco card,” he said.
“Upon checking the receipt, he told them they stood a chance of winning a new car or a gold bar.”
“Wong” made a phone call and convinced the victim that based on the amount spent, he would be entitled to a gold bar from a jewellery shop at a shopping mall in Cheras.
“He asked the victim what his credit card purchase limit was and the man told him RM50,000,” Chong said.
“He then asked the victim to meet him at the jewellery store.”
An hour later, the couple met “Wong” at the store. “Wong” told the victim he must first pay for the gold bar and the amount — RM18,000 — would be credited into his account later.
“At the store, the victim saw the suspect speaking to a male staff who handed him a gold bar,” Chong said.
“The staff presented the receipt to the victim and asked for his signature. The man signed it thinking the money would be reimbursed and he would get the gold bar.”
At this point, “Wong”, who was holding the gold bar, said he needed to go to the restroom.
“After waiting for more than an hour, the victim realised he had been duped,” Chong said.
“The couple returned to the hypermarket only to find out that ‘Wong’ was not a member of the staff.”
Chong said police had recorded a statement from the staff of the jewellery shop and also requested closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the supermarket.
“Initial investigations revealed the staff at the jewellery shop were not accomplices of of the suspect,” he said.
