JOHOR BARU: A kindergarten teacher here has been cheated of RM100,000 by an individual impersonating her husband, who was away on business, via WhatsApp.

Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said that according to the 52-year-old woman, she received a message from her husband's number last week.

"The impersonator requested her to transfer RM100,000 as his bank account could not be accessed," he said in a statement on Monday (Oct 27).

ACP Raub said that at the time, the victim's husband - the general manager of a private company in Mount Austin here - was in China on a week-long business trip.

He added that the victim unsuspectingly made seven transactions amounting to RM100,000 to two different banks on Friday (Oct 24).

"Upon completing the transactions, she called her husband to check if he had received the money, but he told her that his mobile phone had been hacked," he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

ACP Raub reminded the public to always be alert and cautious in matters involving financial transactions.

The public can also refer to the Semak Mule portal at https://semakmule.rmp.gov.my/ to check on bank account numbers, call the Commercial Crime Investigation Department Scam Response Centre at 03-26101599 for information, or visit the CyberCrimeAlertRMP or JSJKPDRM Facebook pages for updates and advice.

Scam victims are also urged to immediately call the National Scam Response Centre at 997.