Malaysian Retiree Loses Over RM160,000 in Hong Kong-Linked Sperm Donor Scam

A 57-year-old Malaysian retiree named Tan was scammed out of RM161,000 (approximately US$38,000) after responding to a social media advertisement claiming a woman in Hong Kong or Taiwan sought a man to impregnate her, with a promised reward of HK$2 million (about RM1.08 million). Tan communicated with a person posing as the woman's lawyer who instructed him to make various payments for airfare, protection services, and medical monitoring, despite warnings from his bank and the police. Even after being advised by a bank officer and a policeman that the deal was likely a scam, Tan continued to send money, persuaded by assurances and a fake cheque screenshot presented by the scammers. The Malaysian Chinese Association's Public Services and Complaints Department head, Datuk Seri Michael Chong, who held a press conference about the incident, expressed disappointment over Tan's gullibility and cautioned others to avoid falling victim to similar scams. Chong also noted that the woman in the photos used in the scam was likely a victim whose identity was exploited by the fraudsters. Tan hopes his experience will serve as a warning to prevent others from being deceived by such fraudulent schemes.