RM27,000 gone in a day: Administrator distraught over unauthorised withdrawal

IPOH: An administrator was left heartbroken after her hard-earned money, totalling about RM27,000, had been transferred out from her bank savings account without her knowledge.

Chang See Teng, 26, from Menglembu here, said a check with her bank found that the money was transferred to two strangers’ Touch ‘n Go accounts on July 13.

ALSO READ: Contractor discovers RM3,700 withdrawn from bank account without consent

Chang said six transactions were made on the same day, leaving her account with only about RM40.

“I had wanted to withdraw my money on July 14 but the automated teller machine rejected my card.

“Having checked with the bank, I was told that my account could have possibly been hacked,” she told a press conference held by Ipoh Barat MCA coordinator Low Guo Nan here on Friday (Aug 19).

“I did not get any one-time password (OTP) text messages, which I would usually get if I made a transaction,” she said, adding that a police report has been lodged.

“What was shocking was how the large sum of money can be transferred out in a day when I have set a limit of RM5,000 for daily transactions,” she added.

On Wednesday, a semi-retired contractor also had about RM3,700 transferred out from his savings account without his knowledge and consent.

Chang said the savings were meant to pay for her medical treatment cost for an illness that she declined to reveal.

“I would go for my treatment once every three months, which costs between RM1,500 and RM2,000.

“I am fortunate that I am still working and my family is also helping me,” she said.

“I have been so traumatised by this incident that I have even withdrawn all my savings from another bank,” she added.

Chang said she hoped that the bank could expedite their investigations and provide clarification to her over what had happened and get her money back.

“It has been a month now and I still have not heard anything from them,” she said.

“I really feel lost as the bank cannot give me any answers,” she added.

Low said he will help Chang follow up on the matter with Bank Negara as soon as she gets the final report from the bank.

“We will also go to the Ombudsman for Financial Services to come up with a solution,” he said.

He also reiterated the need for a special committee to look into this issue.

“Since when we are young, we have often been told to put our money in the bank for safekeeping.

“It now feels like putting our cars in a public parking lot, where we have to bear our own responsibility.

“Banks need to inform their customers immediately if they notice suspicious movement of money.

“Bank Negara, the police and the Finance Ministry need to look into this matter seriously,” he added.

Low said he gets about four to five related complaints every month.

“Some of the complainants are even from other states,” he said.