KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — An engineer lost RM1.195 million after falling victim to a gold investment scam.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the engineer, in his 50s, received a message from an unknown woman on December 25 last year claiming she had mistakenly sent a cake to his address.

“The woman later took the opportunity to befriend the victim and a few days later invited him to join an online gold investment scheme with promises of lucrative returns,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said the victim initially invested RM3,000 into a company account before making 20 additional transactions to eight different company accounts, resulting in him losing a total of RM1.195 million.

Rusdi said the victim lodged a police report on January 29 after realising he had been duped, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

He advised the public to be cautious of any investment offers made by newly acquainted individuals on social media or messaging applications and to verify bank account numbers or company names via the CCID Semakmule Portal at semakmule.rmp.gov.my before carrying out any transactions.

Meanwhile, he said 10 companies detected to be involved in fraudulent activities had been listed in the CCID Semakmule database as of January 31, adding that they include JMC M Trading Ventura and JMC Top Trading, with 18 scam reports each; Rosnitah Mewah Trading Sdn Bhd (13 reports); Norbing Renovation Sdn Bhd (12); Hexbuild Construction & Hardware Sdn Bhd (12); and KK Solid Works Sdn Bhd (11).

Another 10 scam reports each were linked to CVC Grow Star Sdn Bhd, CVCMax Building Sdn Bhd, CICC Vano Trading and AEP Global Enterprise Sdn Bhd. — Bernama