Cheated by bogus monk in 4D scam

JOHOR BARU: It was too good a chance to miss, thought couple S. Saravanan, 31, and A. Amutha, 30.

The advertisement said they could strike RM300,000 if they put their faith in a certain monk, who could give them the winning number in the 4D stakes.

MONEY’S GONE: Amutha crying yesterday as she relates how she and her husband lost their money to a bogus monk in Johor Baru.
They called a number given in the advertisement and the so-called monk asked them to deposit RM75 at first.

Amutha said she made the first payment by account transfer on July 1 last year.

Since then, she has transferred over RM30,000 in 15 payments to two bank accounts, with the last payment of RM1,500 in July this year.

The housewife and her husband, an IT officer, are now in debt as they had borrowed money each time the monk asked for a deposit.

There is no sign of the monk or a winning 4D number.

The couple had tried calling the monk but couldn't reached him. Instead, someone else who took their calls said they could earn more if they chipped in another RM30,000. Their request for a refund was rejected.

At a press conference at the office of Bandar Baru Tampoi MCA branch chairman Michael Tay yesterday, Amutha said: “I read in a flyer that the monk could give the winning number for the grand prize in the 4D lottery if we paid a certain amount. There was a picture of someone with a winning number and I was convinced it was the real deal. My husband and I are now broke,” she said.

Amutha has since lodged a police report at the central police station here.

Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Shafie Ismail said they were investigating the case.

He urged anyone with information to contact the police hotline at 07-221 2999 or the nearest police station.

The Star