In a joint Malaysia-China operation, police have crippled an infamous scam syndicate that had caused victims in the two countries to incur about RM13 million in losses.
- Scammers pose as bank or police personnel to scare victims into paying amount owed or a fine to avoid dire consequences
- Mainland Chinese suspects to be deported to face prosecution in China
- Police discover new online gambling modus operandi which fully operates through apps without having an operation base, 6 detained
- List of 30 companies involved in scams or “money games”
Police have arrested 140 people for alleged involvement in the Macau Scam syndicate.
In Malaysia, 65 Chinese nationals were picked up during raids on nine locations, while 75 individuals were nabbed in China.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh said the arrests of the suspects, aged between 30 and 45, were made possible with the cooperation between the CCID and the China police.
“We conducted the operations simultaneously on Dec 12 with our counterparts in China and caught a total of 140 suspects in Malaysia and China,” Amar said, adding that it was the first such collaboration.
He said the syndicate was believed to have been active over the past six months, operating from Malaysia and China.
Amar said that the alleged Chinese scammers caught in Malaysia entered the country using social visit passes.
“The syndicate members usually operate from houses in upscale residential areas and the members rarely leave home to avoid detection,” he told a press conference yesterday.
The case was being investigated for cheating and also under the Immigration Act.
The suspects have been remanded until Dec 26 and will be deported. Their passports have been revoked by the China Embassy pending their extradition to China to face prosecution.
During the raid, police seized a range of electronic and communication devices, including hundreds of phones, SIM cards, VoiP sets, routers, laptops and tablets.
A Macau scam involves perpetrators posing as a figure of authority such as a bank officer or police personnel to con victims into paying a fine or owed amount to avoid dire consequences.
“These people have a script they follow and the conversation is carefully dealt through several processes to convince the victim to part with their money,” Amar said.
The syndicate, he said, used voice over internet protocol (VoiP) technology to change the phone numbers which show up on the victims’ screens to suit the scammers’ purpose.
This means that the scammers can choose to use legitimate numbers of police stations or even banks.
Variations to the modus operandi include claiming that victims had won a huge sum and, as was uncovered recently, using the name of Pos Malaysia to dupe victims. In the latter instance, the scammers would pose as Pos Malaysia staff and urge victims to go to its office to collect a parcel.
During the telephone call, they would ask the victim for a copy of the identity card and tell the individual to make payment to a bank account. The victim would only realise it’s a scam when there is no parcel for collection at the post office.
Police also unexpectedly busted an online gambling syndicate operating out of the Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, arresting six local individuals.
”The raiding party thought they were busting a Macau Scam centre. They were surprised to learn that it was an online gambling syndicate.
“However, unlike gambling centres of the past, this one had no gaming machines. Instead, it had mobile phones which were used to lure WeChat, WhatsApp users to gamble.
“They operated online, which meant that the customer only needed to bank in the money for the game they want to play and then, once the transaction is verified by the syndicate, the amount is credited into their gaming account and played on the phone.
“This is the first time, we have come across an online gambling syndicate which fully operates through Internet applications without having an operation base.
“They could easily earn RM300,000 a month from this activity,” Amar said.
Police believe that there are many other syndicates using the same method operating throughout the country.
Amar also released a list of 30 companies that are involved in scams or “money games” this year which had affected almost a million victims and accrued losses of RM3.8 billion.
He said that many of these investors are tricked into thinking that they will get higher returns on their investments.
The 30 companies:
- AGR Holding
- Bit Coin – Al Mubin Agarwood
- Bit Coin – Bit Kingdom
- Bitclub
- Bookcoin
- Capital Foster Advisor
- Century Dinasty
- Dana Kesultanan Raja-Raja dan Pelaburan Food Truck
- Farbel High Ventures/Farbel Rich
- Feenra Gold & Resources
- Forex – FXUnited
- Forex – TrigerFX
- Jihad Farisha Ventures
- Kongsi Makan
- Kopi Pak Belalang
- MFace/MBI
- MGSB
- MI1 Global Sdn Bhd
- Mines and Metals
- Monspace
- NHA Strategic Holding Bhd
- Pro Vending Machine
- PTM4U
- Richway
- Roopers Burger
- Royal Gold (Gold investment)
- Saham 500 Plus
- Share Investment Myzia Coin
- Yayasan PBI 9PBI World (Berhad)
- ZG Space City (M) Sdn Bhd
Related reports:
Oct 20, Accountant Loses Half a Million to Macau Scam Syndicate
Oct 4, Duped of RM103K in FB Loan Scam
Jul 11, Group of 50 Professional Scammers Freed
Jul 4, Trained Scammers Posing as Bank Officers Nabbed