TikTok romance turns costly as Labuan woman loses RM112,500 in love scam

A woman from Labuan lost RM112,500 due to a love scam initiated on the TikTok platform, according to Labuan district police chief Supt Wan Mohd Firdaus Wan Zaki. The victim developed a romantic relationship with the suspect, who claimed to be a pilot from the United States. As their alleged relationship progressed, the suspect requested her to send a parcel.

On August 25, the victim received a call from someone claiming to be a delivery company manager, alleging that the parcel was held at the Singapore-Malaysia border. The suspect then instructed the victim to make multiple payments in order to release the parcel. The payments were purportedly made to facilitate the release of a package containing $447,000 in cash, leading to the victim losing RM112,500.

After making the transactions, the suspect blocked the victim's phone number, preventing further communication. The victim reported the incident to the police, with the case under investigation for cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code. Police advice emphasized caution when dealing with individuals met through social media, particularly in online romantic relationships. The article originally published by Borneo Post Online.