Cybercriminals have struck again, making off with MOP 5.5 million after tricking a 20-something female clerk into a fake investment scheme.
The clerk, who has not been named, told the Judiciary Police (PJ) that she befriended a male netizen on WeChat on 24 February and they later communicated via WhatsApp. The netizen then introduced her to a purported investment app called “Metatrader5” and claimed that the app could help her earn “big money”.
The victim then opened an account and deposited MOP 900,000 yuan (MOP 1.12 million) and HK$4.28 million (MOP 4.41 million patacas) into several bank accounts in the mainland and Hong Kong in March and 30 April, thinking that she was investing in gold futures, The Macau Post Daily reported.
PJ spokesman Ho Chan Nam said the victim later wanted to withdraw some of the money from her account but “customer service” told her that she was required to pay 10 per cent of the total amount in her account as a “service fee”. However, she was still unable to withdraw any money even after the “service fee” had been “deducted”.
After she was unable to contact neither the “customer service” nor her netizen “friend” she realised that she had been defrauded and reported the case to the police.
