Cops blame scammers as commercial crime in Penang soars 82%

 

Police said most of the victims were cheated online, through phone scams, love scams, e-financial and e-commerce fraud, and non-existent loans or investments.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang police recorded an 82.7% increase in commercial crime cases in the first four months of this year, blaming the spike on a surge in scam activity.

State police chief Khaw Kok Chin said 1,387 cases were reported, with victims losing RM53 million.

In the same period last year, 759 cases were reported with losses of RM28 million.

He added that most of the victims were cheated online, through phone scams, love scams, e-financial and e-commerce fraud, and non-existent loans and investments.

“Scammers often change their tactics, using false registration to buy prepaid phone numbers and use of mule accounts to transfer their ill-gotten gains,” he said. - FMT