Syndicate offering fake jobs online busted

KUALA LUMPUR: A syndicate that offered bogus jobs online was busted with the arrest of nine suspects, including a Thai woman.

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) acting chief Supt Mohd Mahidisham Ishak said the syndicate lured victims by offering a commission rate of about 8% from these jobs.

“The group would promote jobs for ‘online purchasing agents’ in which the victim would be instructed to make online purchases of products belonging to the syndicate, under the guise of increasing their rating.

“They were supposed to pay the money back with ommissions for the first two purchases. But they would then delay payment for the third purchase onwards before being uncontactable, ” he said at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters yesterday.

The nine suspects – five local men, three local women and a Thai woman – aged between 17 and 37 were detained following a raid on a premises in the city on April 15.

“We conducted the raid after a woman reported losing about RM11,000 as a result of being duped by the syndicate. We seized 57 mobile phones, four laptops and seven desktops from the premises, ” he said.

Those detained had been paid about RM100 each daily, he added.

“We’re still looking for two men, who are part of the syndicate. The suspects are in their late 30s and early 40s, ” he added.

Supt Mohd Mahidisham said the CCID have opened 67 investigate papers (IP) regarding similar scams.

“Total losses amounted to RM689,850 from various victims nationwide. In Kuala Lumpur, victims lost RM246,892.

“The syndicate has been operating since March, ” he said.

Supt Mohd Mahidisham reminded the people to be careful and check with various official sources such as the CCID’s Semak Mule application and http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule/ or contact KL police hotline at 03-2115 9999 or any nearest police station.