Scammers nabbed: Cops raid Sri Damansara restaurant, arrest four

PETALING JAYA: Four suspected scammers have been arrested following investigation into a parcel scam that robbed a retired man of RM64,000.

In a statement on Friday (July 8), Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said that the victim was scammed in March after he believed that he had struck up a friendship with a German woman on Facebook.

The two continued communicating via Whatsapp and the victim was told that he had been sent several gifts.

"After a short time the suspect told him that she had sent him several items such as a laptop, football jerseys and RM20,000 in cash for no apparent reason, only stating that it was a gift.

"On March 21 the victim received a call from a 'Patrick' that claimed he was from the British Delivery Service. He was told that the items had reached Malaysia but did not elaborate on where it was sent.

"The victim was then told to pay RM1,750 for several costs, including processing costs, if he wanted the items. Acting on trust the victim proceeded to bank several payments into multiple bank accounts, leading to his total loss of RM64,000," he said.

The victim finally decided he had enough of their excuses and suspected he had fallen for a scam.

Based on information gathered, a raid was conducted on July 6, at a fast food restaurant in Sri Damansara.

"Four Nigerians were arrested aged in their thirties and forties. Several seizures were also made, including strong evidence that proves the suspects were the main culprits in the aforementioned case. They have been remanded for four days until July 10," he said.

ACP Fakhrudin urged the public to be cautious online and to not fall prey to such promises from "online friends".