Malaysian authorities revealed on Tuesday (Dec.16) the scam call centre in Termerloh municipality in central Pahang, Malaysia, developed an application to help scammers target victims.
The finding was revealed by the police following a raid on the scam call centre at a rented premises in Puncak Lestari, Mentakab, on Dec. 2.
Two Chinese nationals along with an Indonesian woman, a Malaysian man and a Malaysian woman were arrested.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman told reporters at a press conference that investigations revealed that the two Chinese nationals have expertise in information technology and developed the fraudulent application, according to a report on Tuesday ( Dec .16 ) by Malaysian news outlet, the NST.
“The application was used by syndicate members believed to be operating elsewhere to trick victims in China,” he said, according to the report.
“Based on information gathered, victims have reportedly lost thousands of ringgit, with mule account holders located in China,” Yahaya said.
According to the news outlet, Yahaya told reporters the scammers offered fraudulent currency exchange services and contacted the victims through Telegram.
Police seized 11 mobile phones, seven laptops, monitors and modems, with an estimated value of RM30,000 (S$9,500) during the raid.
The two Malaysians arrested were involved in compiling data on potential victims, while the Indonesian woman was employed as a cook.
Yahaya said the scammers claimed they found the jobs through Facebook and job search websites before being instructed via WhatsApp to report to the location.
“They were paid salaries ranging from RM2,500 (S$790) to RM4,000 ($S1,270) per month,” he said.
Other Scams
The Dec. 2 raid was the third scam centre dismantled in the state of Pahang in Malaysia this year, following raids in Bera and Genting Highlands.
Yahaya noted that recent developments indicate scam syndicates have begun moving their operations to rural areas in an effort to evade detection by authorities, according to The Vibes.
In the Bera raid on Nov. 27, Yahaya said police raided a budget hotel in Trang, Bera, used as a scam call centre, and arrested eight Chinese nationals, seizing 19 mobile phones and two laptops valued at approximately RM31,500 (S$7,700), according to the report.
“Investigations revealed that this syndicate operated using fake Facebook accounts to trap victims before shifting communication to the Telegram application to deceive them into joining non-existent investment schemes,” he said.
The Vibes also reported, Yahaya said police recorded 2,999 online scam cases in Pahang between January and November this year, with total losses amounting to RM90.3 million (S$22.1 million).
“Out of that number, 1,068 cases have been opened for investigation and brought to court,” he said, the report added.
