Now, there’s reportedly a new type of phone scam, one that could possibly be so convincing, you do not know what to believe.

According to a report by The Star Online, scammers are now calling victims up and pretending to be one of their relatives!

Family matters

Don’t shrug this off lightly because even a former top Melaka state official fell victim to this.

The news portal reported that the incident happened on 9 November, when the 65-year-old reportedly received a call from a person identifying herself as his niece.

He told The Star Online that the caller mimicked the voice of his niece before asking him to deposit cash into a bank account. When he asked her why her voice sounded different, she said she was having a bad cough.

"She called me uncle and told she was in very big trouble with illegal moneylenders and wanted the cash urgently.

"The caller, using a different phone number, also pleaded not to tell others first and said she would explain her predicament when she met in person.

"I thought my niece was in trouble, and I banked in RM3,000 without thinking twice," he was quoted as saying.

At night that day, the victim decided to check if his niece has received the money. He reportedly called her on her landline number, but she informed him that she had never called him for help.

He then tried calling the number that the person who pretended to be his niece used, but he found out his number was blocked.

He lodged a police report at Bandar Hilir police station on 11 November.

"I was told that I am not the first victim. There had been a few more cases where the callers mimicked the voices of family members.

"What baffled me is how the fraudster got my personal information, including where my relatives live," he said.