IPOH: Three local men have been arrested for allegedly being part of an online scam syndicate that duped a 22-year-old university student in Kampar of RM8,999 in cash and RM20,000 worth of gold jewellery.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the victim was contacted on July 31 by a person posing as a courier company representative, who claimed a parcel containing prohibited items had been sent under his name.
The call was then transferred to another person posing as a law enforcement officer, who accused the victim of being involved in money laundering activities.
“Fearing arrest and prosecution, the victim followed the syndicate’s instructions to transfer RM8,999 to several bank accounts.
“He was also told to place a gold necklace, ring, earrings and a bracelet, worth about RM20,000, on the wall of his house in Kampar,” Comm Mohd Alwi said in a statement on Saturday (Aug 15).
He said the victim was promised that the money and jewellery would be returned once investigations were completed.
However, after realising he had been cheated, the victim lodged a police report on Aug 1.
“Following intelligence gathering by the Kampar district police commercial crime investigation division, police conducted five raids in Petaling Jaya, Kelana Jaya, Hulu Kelang and Damansara on Aug 13.
“The raids resulted in the arrest of three local men aged between 32 and 45,” Comm Mohd Alwi added.
Police also seized eight Simbox units, 11 Starlink units, 509 SIM cards, a laptop, two routers and five mobile phones.
Comm Mohd Alwi said the communication equipment was believed to have been used as a call gateway to facilitate communications for online scam syndicates operating from overseas.
“The devices were used by the syndicate to make it difficult for enforcement authorities to trace calls made by the online scam syndicate,” he said.
The three suspects have been remanded for four days from Aug 14 to 17, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which carries an imprisonment term of between one and 10 years upon conviction.
Comm Mohd Alwi urged members of the public not to assist online scam syndicates by renting out residential premises or supplying communication equipment.
He also urged anyone with information on such illicit activities to contact the nearest police station, while thanking the media for disseminating public awareness on online scams. - Star
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