KUCHING, Feb 13 — The Sarawak police have reminded the public not to be easily fooled by pretty or handsome profile pictures on social media, especially during the Valentine’s Day celebration tomorrow.

Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Supt Maria Rasid said the public was also advised not to be easily taken in by compliments or persuasion from ‘friends’ on social media.

"People also need to be wary over communications involving money because criminals are bent on obtaining money by cheating.

"Therefore, never disclose or give your banking or financial information,” she said in a statement here today.

Maria said four ‘Love Scam’ cases involving losses of more than RM128,000 were reported in Sarawak from in January this year.

She said normally, victims of Love scam fell prey to foreign persons they met on social media, and after sometime, the suspect would inform the victim that he would come to Malaysia for them to be married.

"After that, members of the syndicate will disguise themselves as authorities at the airport and told the victim that the foreign was arrested for carrying a lot of foreign currency and asked the victim to make a payment to a bank account of an unknown person for the release of the lover,

"After payment has been made, attempts by the victim to contact the social media lover will be futile,” she added. — Bernama