Police cripple Macau Scam syndicate in Ayer Keroh

MELAKA: Police have crippled a Macau Scam syndicate following the arrest of 29 people here.

State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan said police conducted a raid at a makeshift call-center at Ayer Keroh on Sept 14 at about 12.30pm before arresting the syndicate members-all Chinese Nationals.

"Those detained where 26 men and three women aged between 20 to 48 years ," he said in a press conference on Monday.

Melaka Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Supt Baderulhisham Baharudin was also present.

DCP Abdul Jalil said the modus operandi employed by the syndicate was to claim either the victims had won a big sum in lucky draws, wanted by Bukit Aman for illegal activities or they family members have been kidnapped.

He said 109 investigation papers were opened between January 2016 to August 2017 with losses incurred estimated close to RM3.5mil.

The syndicate members, he said will contact victims using voice over internet protocol service by amending the caller's number and deceiving victims with accurate information.

The victims are then required to make a certain payment for tax and insurance to transfer the money into their accounts," he said adding that 89 Malaccans had been cheated by the syndicate.

DCP Abdul Jalil said the Chinese nationals entered the country using a social visit pass and they did not leave the bungalow during they stay here and their food and drinks were delivered to them.

He said police also seized various telecommunication equipment including telephones, mobile phones and scripts at the bungalow.

DCP Abdul Jalil said the syndicate made use of local residents' accounts to transfer the payment made by the victims.

He said all the syndicate members were detained to assist investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

Macau scams usually start with a phone call from a scammer pretending to be an officer from a bank, government agency or debt collector.

The scammer will then claim that the potential victim owes money or has an unpaid fine, often with a very short window of less than an hour, to settle the payment or face "dire consequences".