SELANGOR POLICE CRIPPLE ONLINE SCAM SYNDICATE

SHAH ALAM, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- Selangor police have crippled an online scam syndicate offering part-time jobs and investments to victims overseas, following separate raids on three premises in Kajang, Seri Kembangan and Puchong last month.

Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the integrated operation conducted by the Selangor Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), together with several district police headquarters, led to the arrest of 20 individuals, including a Malaysian, aged between 25 and 36.

He added that police also seized 42 mobile phones, 20 computers, four mobile WiFi units, two laptops, two modems and a router worth RM85,000.

"Their modus operandi involves offering part-time work, share investments and opportunities to generate income through the digital platform before the victims are instructed to make certain payments.

"The syndicate members act as operators who will contact the victims through social media apps and websites to convince the victims to make investments or take up the job offers,” he told a media conference at the Selangor Police Headquarters here today.

Shazeli said that in the first raid in Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang, on Jan 23, police arrested six individuals - a Malaysian man, four foreign men and a foreign woman - aged between 28 and 33.

"The syndicate, which has been operating since last December, targeted Australians and Italians with online part-time job offers,” he said.

He said that in the second raid in Pusat Bandar Putra Permai, Seri Kembangan, on Jan 26, police arrested nine foreign men, aged between 27 and 35, adding that this syndicate has been active since last November and targeted Chinese nationals with online investment schemes.

In the third raid, conducted in Bandar Puteri, Puchong, on Jan 28, five foreigners - four men and a woman - aged between 25 and 36 were detained.

This syndicate, he said, has been operating since last December by targeting Pakistanis, using TikTok to offer them part-time jobs

He said all the cases are being investigated under sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code.

"For the case in Bandar Sungai Long, all the suspects were charged under Section 120B(2) of the Penal Code and fined RM2,500 each, while the other arrested individuals have been remanded for between five and seven days,” he said, adding that they do not have prior criminal records nor tested positive for drugs.

-- BERNAMA