KUALA LUMPUR – Police have received 124 reports related to a cryptocurrency investment scam carried out on the Accerx exchanger platform, which amounted to a whopping RM90,364,463.08 in total losses within the span of only three months.
In a statement, Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) deputy director Datuk Rohaimi Md Isa said the high number of reports and claimed losses have been recorded since November 2023.
Investigations carried out have so far identified 73 companies or businesses, 83 related bank accounts, and an individual bank account that were used by the syndicate involved.
Rohaimi also said that, among others, a 24-year-old owner of a mule account has been charged in Keningau, Sabah, over one case.
He said the charge was made on January 3 under Section 22A(1) of the Minor Offences Ordinance.
Rohaimi said on January 30, police in Sentul received a report from a 60-year-old man who lost RM11,130,123.00 after investing in the Accerx scheme, which is the highest amount in losses for a single case.
Rohaimi said that a director of a company claimed that he was deceived by a cryptocurrency investment scheme advertised on Facebook in September 2023.
He said the case was investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
“PDRM (police) wishes to remind any individual who is carrying out transactions with this investment scheme to cease carrying out the activity and to make a police report at their nearest police station,” he said.
He said that as a preventative measure, members of the public who wish to carry out transactions on cryptocurrencies are advised to verify the legitimacy of the exchanger offering such services via the website www.coinmarketcap.com.
Rohaimi also said that the public can refer to relevant agencies such as Bank Negara and the Securities Commission to ensure that the exchange companies comply with the law.
“This is important to ensure that your investments are protected and to avoid falling victim to scammers.”
On February 1, a housewife in her early 60s lost her savings of RM115,000 after being duped in a bitcoin investment scam on the Accerx platform that promised lucrative returns.
Port Dickson district police chief Aidi Sham Mohamed said the woman claimed that she dealt with an individual via WhatsApp in mid-December regarding investing on the Accerx platform after seeing an advertisement on Facebook.
On January 31, an accountant was reported to have lost RM776,000 as a result of the Accerx investment scam since last October.
Batu Pahat district police chief Ismail Dollah said the 49-year-old victim initially saw an advertisement on Facebook about an investment promising lucrative returns.
He said the victim then communicated with four individuals through WhatsApp to join the scheme.
Another victim, an 80-year-old woman, claimed to have lost over RM10 million to scammers who convinced her in a WhatsApp group chat to invest in the same scheme.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the woman lodged a police report about the fake investment scheme using cryptocurrency.
The retiree said she was asked to join the scheme after being added to a WhatsApp group chat, where the group administrators promoted the cryptocurrency trading on accerx.com. – February 5, 2024