Doctor loses RM285k in phone scam

A 31-year-old doctor in Pahang has lost RM285,000 after falling victim to a phone scam syndicate that carefully impersonated multiple authorities to gain his trust.

According to Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman, the incident began on December 31 when the victim, who works at a hospital in the state, received several phone calls from unknown individuals. The callers first posed as officers from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), before transferring the call to another person claiming to be a police officer.

The fake “police officer” alleged that the doctor was linked to serious offences, including electricity meter tampering, money laundering and digital fraud. To make the story more convincing, the victim was told that he was under investigation and instructed to stay in constant contact with the suspect, even being asked to report his daily movements.

Over time, the scammers pressured the victim into taking out a loan from a financial institution, claiming the money was required as part of the investigation process. He was then instructed to transfer funds to seven different bank accounts. In addition, the victim was told to purchase 35 Razer Gold top-up cards and hand over the PIN numbers to the suspects.

By the time he realised something was wrong, the damage had already been done. The doctor had lost RM285,000, made up of his personal savings and bank loans. He only became suspicious when the suspects demanded even more money and subsequently became unreachable.

Police have classified the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. Authorities have once again reminded the public to be extremely cautious of phone calls involving alleged investigations, especially those that demand secrecy, money transfers or prepaid vouchers.

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