IPOH: A couple's bank account was hacked, and within just over an hour, RM23,000 was transferred out through 17 online transactions, causing them to lose savings meant for their children's education.
As reported by China Press, the couple, Yong Kui Hin, 38 and Ling Yoke Suan, 36, were shocked to discover that RM23,080 from their fixed deposit accounts had been transferred without their knowledge. They shared their ordeal at a press conference yesterday morning.
Ling recounted that she had received a call from her bank earlier that morning. She initially hung up, thinking it was a scam. Shortly after, she received a notification from the bank informing her that her account had been frozen.
Realising the severity of the situation, Ling rushed to a nearby bank to report the issue. The bank staff informed her that her account had been accessed by someone else and provided her with a copy of the transaction records. The records showed that the money had been transferred to multiple accounts.
The couple lamented that the stolen savings were meant for their children's future university expenses.
"These transactions on Sept 9 occurred without my knowledge, and I did not receive any notification for authorising the transfers.
"The funds were from fixed deposits, which were transferred into my savings account and then withdrawn," Ling said.
She lodged a police report at the Batu Gajah police station later that day and also filed a complaint with the bank.
The bank claimed that the transactions had been carried out using Ling's login credentials and password, and authorised from another device. A password change had also been made from the device.
Citing this, the bank declined the couple's claim for compensation. However, they have since reapplied with another complaint.