Malaysian Woman Scammed of ₹4.3 Crore in a Decade-Long Online Love Fraud

A 67-year-old woman from Malaysia lost over RM2.2 million (approximately ₹4.3 crore) to a long-running love scam, falling victim to a fraudster she never met in person. The scam unfolded over nearly ten years, involving 306 transactions across multiple bank accounts.

She made 306 transfers in total.

The victim first made contact with the scammer on Facebook in October 2017, where he posed as an American businessman working in Singapore’s medical equipment sector. After developing an online relationship, the scammer claimed he needed financial help to cover transportation fees and persuaded the woman to transfer RM5,000.

The fraud continued for years, with the scammer citing various personal and business problems as reasons for further financial requests. The victim transferred funds a total of 306 times, borrowing money from friends and family to do so. Despite the long interaction, she never saw the scammer in person or via video call—only speaking to him through voice calls.

The woman only realized she was being scammed in November 2024, after confiding in a friend about her experiences. The authorities urge the public to remain vigilant when forming online relationships, especially when money is involved, warning against rushing into relationships that seem too good to be true.