Restaurant owner loses over RM400,000 to Bitcoin investment scam

JOHOR BAHRU – A restaurant owner incurred losses amounting to RM413,522 after allegedly falling victim to a scam involving a Bitcoin investment advertised on Facebook.

Iskandar Puteri District Police Chief ACP Rahmat Ariffin said the 56-year-old local man lodged a police report in Johor Bahru yesterday (Jan 26).

He said that the victim registered through a link on Facebook and contacted an individual believed to be a local resident to make payment.

“The victim, in total, paid RM413,522 to nine different accounts from November last year until January this year.

“Within two months of making the investment, the victim found that the profit had increased by US$ 1.5 million (RM7.1 million) through an application. However, the individual informed the victim that he needed to pay RM176,575 for the withdrawal process,” he said in a statement today.

However, he added that the victim felt deceived after being unable to withdraw the investment profits and subsequently filed a police report.

Rahmat said the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. – BERNAMA / pic TMR FILE