NILAI: Five Africans, two of them women, believed to be behind online love scams that cheated victims of more than RM1mil have been arrested.
One of the suspects attempted to escape by jumping from the third floor of an apartment block but was apprehended with broken ribs on Thursday, said police.
Nilai OCPD Supt Abdul Malik Hasim said the suspects, in their 30s and 40s, had been active since October last year, using fake Facebook profiles to lure both local and foreign victims.
“We also seized several items that we believe the suspects used to carry out their scam activities.”
Supt Abdul Malik said preliminary investigations confirmed that the suspects used the social media platform to facilitate the love scams.
“They used various profiles to con their victims, and we believe they have been active since Oct 2023,” he said.
Police, he said, seized four laptops, mobile phones (15), tablets (two), debit cards (11), pen drives (two) and modems (two) from the unit.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and Section 120B for criminal conspiracy.
Police, Supt Abdul Malik said, have also obtained an order to remand the suspects for four days until Sept 1.
He urged the public to call the police at 06-790 4222 if they have any information on such scams.
