MELAKA: A lemang maker has lost close to RM100,000 after being deceived into investing in a non-existent maritime development fund.

State Commercial Crime Investigation chief Supt E. Sundra Rajan said the 47-year-old female entrepreneur from Bukit Katil here lodged a police report on Tuesday (Jan 26).

"The victim was excited with the profit she was about to gain from the investment when the fraudster sent her message through WhatsApp last June," he said on Wednesday (Jan 27).

Supt Sundra said the victim had received the message from a total stranger mid-2020, and believed the investment with high returns was for real.

He said the victim deposited a total of RM96,930 into three accounts between last June and Jan 21 this year.

Part of the payment, he said, included stamping and processing fees.

However, Supt Sundra said the victim realised she had been duped when she did not receive a single sen.

"Preliminary investigations showed the same conman had previously duped four others using the same tactic and siphoned close to RM774,000," he said, adding that the latest case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

LEMANG OH LEMANG