Single mother in Malaysia loses $124,100 in love scam

JOHOR BARU - Despite being fleeced of RM380,000 (S$124,100), a single mother is still pining for her online boyfriend whom she has never met.

The lovelorn woman, who only wanted to be known as Lee, said she sold her house to raise money for the boyfriend, whom she said had been detained by Customs Department after he supposedly tried to bring in RM800million worth of gifts for her.

Lee, who shared her plight at a press conference yesterday, referred to him as her "husband" although they had never gone through any wedding ceremony or even met in person throughout their one-year relationship.

She said she had befriended Kenneth Cheung, an American, on Facebook in October last year.

"One day, my husband told me that he had been detained by the Malaysian Customs Department after he tried to bring in RM800mil worth of gifts including two mobile phones, jewellery and undergarments for me.

​"I transferred a total of RM380,000 in cash as tax payments for the gifts so they could release my husband, " said the 50-year-old Lee during a press conference organised by Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng yesterday.

She said she had made a total of 11 payments to numerous bank accounts since November last year.

Lee said she lodged a police report as she believed the Customs officers who detained her husband were scamming her.

Since selling her house, she is now living with her younger sister.

​Chen said he believed that Lee was a victim of an online love scam and told her not to send any more money.

"I am deeply saddened by her situation as she has lost a significant amount of money.

"She is now penniless, " he said, adding that he would constantly check on Lee to ensure she did not fall into another trap.

Chen said he told Lee that she could have been a victim of an online scam, but she brushed it aside.When contacted, Seri Alam OCPD Supt Ismail Dollah confirmed the report and said police were investigating the case.