AN elderly durian orchard owner lost RM202,460 after being deceived by an offer of a lucky number promising a win of RM1.2 million.
The 63-year-old woman, a resident of Bandar Jengka, Maran, used her personal savings and proceeds from pawning her jewellery to make payments allegedly required to claim the winnings.
Acting Pahang Police Chief Datuk Azry Akmar Ayob stated that the incident began when the victim saw a video advertisement on Facebook featuring an individual—purportedly a monk from a temple in southern Thailand—offering financial fortune-telling services on November 25, 2025.
“Intrigued by the offer, the victim contacted the first suspect by phone and was told that her fortune could be changed by purchasing a Magnum 4D lottery ticket, which also gave her a chance to win the grand prize.
“The victim was then directed to deal with another individual—allegedly an agent in Kelantan—to handle the payment, after which she was informed that she had won the first prize of RM1.2 million,” he said on Tuesday.
He added that the victim was subsequently asked to make several payments, ostensibly for bank processing and cross-border transfer taxes, to enable the withdrawal of the winnings.
Azry Akmar explained that between December 23, 2025, and May 22, 2026, the victim made 12 transactions to six different bank accounts, totalling RM202,460.
"The victim did not receive the promised winnings; realising she had been deceived, she lodged a police report.
"The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating," he said.
He advised the public not to easily trust offers of lottery wins, forecast numbers, or lucrative prizes received via social media and communication apps.
He also strongly reminded the public not to make any payments—whether for taxes, release fees, or bank charges—without first verifying the matter with the authorities or relevant agencies.
"Any information regarding scams can be reported to the police or the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) via the 997 hotline," he stated. – October 13, 2026