Police bust up 40 groups running online scams from Malaysia, collar 426 suspects

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 — The police have successfully busted 40 online scam syndicates in a 12-day special operation from Nov 25 to Dec 6, with 63 raids conducted on criminal call centres across the country.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said that 426 individuals — 331 men and 95 women — aged 16 to 55 were arrested during the raids.

From that total, 146 are Malaysians, 224 China nationals, Thai (21), Indonesian (18) Nigerian (five), Pakistani (three), two Zimbabweans and Ukrainian each and one individual from Kenya, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Guinea and Syria respectively.

“Investigations revealed that the individuals arrested are part of 40 syndicates engaged in fraudulent activities,” he said at a media conference at the Bukit Aman CCID office at Menara KPJ here today.

Ramli shared the breakdown of the syndicates, 12 of which were involved in online gambling, investment and job scams (nine each), e-commerce scam (five), love scam (three) and one each for donations and pornographic promotions.

He also said that the call centres not only targeted locals as victims, but also spread abroad to countries such as the United States, China, Japan, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

“The individuals arrested play different roles, including manager, supervisor, customer service officers, advertising officers, financial officers and computer programmers,” he said.

A total of 1,240 mobile phones, 187 computers, 302 laptops, 41 routers, 44 modems, 52 monitors, 41 ATM cards, 21 access cards, 185 SIM cards, two bracelets, six vehicles and RM79,451 in cash were seized during the raids, he added.

“The police also seized nine stamps, two Companies Commission of Malaysia certificates and various other items related to the criminal activities conducted. The total value of seizures is estimated to be RM1.48 million,” he said.

The police also identified 35 residential premises, such as terrace houses, condominiums and apartments that serve as call centres for the syndicates.

“Premise owners renting out residences are reminded to know who their tenants are and what activities they do. Allowing such criminal activities to operate out of your premises can be viewed as being an accessory and the police do not deny the possibility of taking legal action against you,” he said.

So far, 261 individuals have been charged, while the rest are still being investigated under Section 420 and Section 120B of the Penal Code, Section 4(1)(C) and 4(1)(G) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Immigration Act 1959/63, he added. — Bernama