Malaysian’s close call with phone scam
In a cautionary tale of trust and treachery, a good Samaritan narrowly escaped being scammed after extending kindness to a stranger in need.
According to a post on the “Kepong Action Group” Facebook page, the incident occurred in the Kepong area.
The post urges the public to exercise caution and beware of strangers, advising against sharing personal bank account numbers.
The individual mentioned in the post nearly fell victim, for extending a helping hand to those in need.
The individual who almost fell victim revealed that she initially lent her phone to a man claiming to have no money in their electronic wallet to buy food.
She generously offered the man the use of her phone and even lent him some money, expecting him to return at a later date to repay her.
However, the scammer insisted on obtaining her bank account number so he could transfer the money back to her later on.
“In a moment of kindness, I lent my phone to someone in need today.
“He claimed he had no money in his TNG e-wallet to buy food. I said he could take it and repay me later, no worries.
“However, they insisted on my bank account details for repayment. I foolishly gave them my details. After some time, my phone number was deactivated. I couldn’t make or receive calls. I felt dumbfounded. Why was it deactivated? Did I fall victim?” she wrote in the post.
Afterwards, she turned her phone on and off, then rushed to find the restaurant owner. The owner advised her to call the bank and block her account.
She is believed to have worked at a restaurant, although the name of the restaurant was not mentioned in the Facebook post.
“I was trembling with fear as I dialled the bank, struggling to remember my own name.
“Upon reaching the bank, my phone began receiving numerous OTP messages,” she said.
“Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw several transactions attempted.
“The bank attendant assured me to stay calm and pledged to conduct a thorough investigation.
“After confirming that the person had made multiple attempts but I was currently safe, I felt a surge of relief.
Over the past few days, she has been advised against accessing anything related to her bank accounts.
“Sadly, my act of kindness resulted in a terrifying experience that still haunts me. Even now, I struggle to shake off the fear and keep replaying the terrifying moment in my mind,” she said.
Many netizens have expressed doubt, arguing that it’s implausible to hack a bank account using just an account number.
One netizen suggests that the individual may have compromised the phone by downloading unknown apps after borrowing it from the victim.
“Probably borrowed a phone, installed a virus software, and gained unrestricted access,” said a Facebook user named Watashi Yukina I (name transliterated)
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