KUCHING: A local lass has claimed she is a victim of a mule account holder after she unknowingly lent three bank cards to a friend last year.
Her carelessness resulted in Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) freezing all her bank accounts.
In addition, the 21-year-old also received a letter from the Sungai Buloh district police headquarters (IPD) last Friday (Jan 13), requesting her presence to facilitate investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
In the letter, the victim was told to report herself to the Commercial Crime Investigation Division (CCID) at the Kampung Baru Subang police station in Selangor, by Tuesday (Jan 17).
Failing to do so, would result a court warrant to secure the victim’s presence at the police station.
The woman, known as Lau, was unable to fly to Selangor and reached out to Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaint Bureau chief Milton Foo Tiang Wee for assistance.
Foo brought Lau, who is a mother of two, to the Sungai Maong police station to give her statement that she was a mule account holder unknowingly, and did not receive any money in her account.
When met by reporters this morning (Jan 17), Foo said the victim had lent three bank cards in September last year to a male friend in exchange for remuneration.
“The victim was promised RM200 per bank card but did not receive the money amounting to RM600 for the three cards.
“At that time, she had financial difficulties and needed the money to support her two young children.
“Unfortunately, she did not receive the money but unfortunately received a letter from the Sungai Buloh IPD, to which I immediately advised her to go to the nearest police station to give her statement on the scam,” he said.
Foo said the victim has six bank accounts under her name and lent three of them to the friend; her action resulted in all six of her bank accounts being frozen by BNM.
“Therefore, she needs to report herself and tell the truth so that the police can conduct their thorough investigation to apprehend the scammer.
“Lau is only a medium being used by the scam syndicate,” he said.
He urged the public to be alert and not to give their bank cards to anyone — friends or relatives — in exchange for any form of benefit.
It is against the law and those involved have unknowingly committed a serious offence under the Penal Code for assisting scammers.
“You might be innocent but the fact that you lent your bank cards to someone else would backfire and result in serious consequences that you may have to bear,” he added.
