An elderly American woman recently went to Malaysia expecting to meet with a dashing construction tycoon she met online, only to discover that her internet romance was part of an elaborate scam.
The 77-year-old unnamed victim, who travelled all the way from the U.S, said she met a man on social media who would regularly send her sweet messages via email. Little did she know that she was being played by con artists who wanted to extort money from her.
According to AsiaOne, her online suitor, who had claimed to be an entrepreneur, allegedly told her that he could double her money if she invested in his businesses.
Through sweet talk, the swindlers were able to manipulate the elderly woman into wiring $225,000 to an account. She also sent them additional $60,000 on two instances via packages through a courier service when they set her up for a fake meet-up in Malaysia.
When she arrived in the country she was met by a man who told her he would bring her to her online lover.
She was then brought to a hotel in Puchong and left her there. Her luggage, identification and travel documents were also stolen from her.
When she told the U.S. embassy about her story, the officers there informed her that she might have been a victim of deceptive con artists who were only after her money.
According to Senior Asst. Comm. Mohd Sakri Arifin of the Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department, his team was able to apprehend suspects after learning that the victim had sent a package containing money to an address in Setapak.
“We watched the premises and when two men came to collect the package on Monday, we arrested them. We seized $30,000, various identification documents, mobile phones, three ATM cards and a car,” he said.
| Posted: at | |
TRENDING GISTS 
Wizkid and Ayra Starr Face Backlash Over “Gimme Dat” Lyrics Allegedly Insensitive to Amadou Diallo’s Legacy
EFCC To Investigate Alleged ₦528bn Misappropriation By Ex-Zamfara Governor, Matawalle
2025 U-20 AFCON: Check Out All 8 Teams That Qualified For Quarter-Finals