Over 1,000 call centre scammers detained this year, say cops

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have detained 1,160 individuals for suspected involvement in call centre scam syndicates in the first nine months of this year.

They comprise 791 individuals from Malaysia, China (300), Indonesia (20), Taiwan (13), Bangladesh (eight), Vietnam (six), Pakistan (four), Thailand (three), Singapore (three), the Philippines (two) and India (two).

There was also one individual each from the United Kingdom, France, Nigeria, Nepal, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Jordan and Iran.

In a statement on Friday (Oct 20), Bukit Aman commercial crime investigation department director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said 501 have been charged with various offences, while 659 individuals are still under investigation, with a number of them released under police bail.

In the same period, police conducted 148 raids to cripple the scam call centres nationwide, he added.

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He said of the 148 raids, 46 involved investment, online sales (29), phone (23), gambling (19), money-lending (15 ), non-existent loan (five), love (two) and bank account mule (two) scams.

"Investigations revealed that of the 148 call centres, 69 targeted Malaysians, while the rest targeted victims from around the world with 38 covering China, Singapore (13), United Kingdom (five), and the Philippines (four).

"The call centres used special apps to enable them to communicate in the local language of the targeted countries," he said.

Ramli said the respective embassies of the detained nationalities have been informed of the matter for further action.

"Police are also actively cooperating with overseas authorities, including the United States, Singapore and Australia, to eradicate cross-border scamming," he said.

He said the police are committed to ensuring continuous action against scam call centres and will highly appreciate the public's cooperation in providing any information related to such activities. – Bernama