Bungalow Used As ‘Scam’ Hub Raided, 21 Chinese Nationals Detained
MELAKA: Just two weeks after turning a two-storey bungalow in the Ayer Keroh area into an operational ‘hub’, a non-existent investment fraud syndicate targeting Chinese nationals was raided by police last Monday.
Melaka Tengah Acting District Police Chief, Superintendent Halim Abas said the raid was conducted by a team from the Commercial Crime Investigation Division of the Melaka Tengah District Police Headquarters at 8 pm, resulting in the arrest of 21 Chinese men aged between 23 and 54 believed to be involved in the syndicate.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that all suspects, who failed to produce valid entry passes into the country, were offered jobs as customer service officers at the call centre ‘hub’.
He said the syndicate’s modus operandi was to deceive victims through non-existent online investment offers by promising high returns within a short period.
“Interested victims would be directed to visit the website QLCH.CC, where all information regarding the investment would be displayed on the site.
“After that, communication with the victim would be taken over by other individuals within the same syndicate network to continue the process of deceiving the victim until they made financial transactions,” he said at a press conference here today.
Halim said the syndicate is believed to have been carrying out non-existent stock investment fraud activities targeting Chinese nationals.
He said, during the inspection at the location, police also seized eight sets of computers and telecommunications equipment, 14 iPhone mobile phones and one USB adapter, with the total value of seizures estimated at RM25,000.
“All suspects are now being remanded for 14 days to assist in investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code as well as Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63,” he said.
Meanwhile, Halim also urged the public to always be alert to suspicious premises or those suspected of operating call centre activities and other criminal activities.
He said, if any suspicious activity is detected, the public is requested to immediately channel information to the nearest police station or contact the emergency hotline 999.
Berita Harian