IPOH: The police have arrested five individuals suspected of having cheated two 62-year-old cleaners of RM77,600 in separate incidents in Perak.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said that the suspects, aged between 22 and 40, were arrested during a raid at an apartment in Melaka at about 5.30am last Friday.
“Four suspects, namely three men and a woman, were initially detained before another female suspect was tracked down and arrested at a house in Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor.
“All five have been remanded for four days from June 20,” he said during a press conference at the Perak police contingent headquarters here yesterday.
Comm Mohd Alwi said the arrests were made following a report by one of the victims, a cleaner from Taiping, who lost about RM59,000 after receiving a call from the scammers on June 14.
“She was informed about winning a hamper in a lucky draw and was asked to collect it at the Taiping bus station.
“Upon arriving, the woman was persuaded by two women and a man to get into their vehicle, where she was given a hamper and asked to spin a virtual lucky draw wheel on a tablet,” he said.
“She was told she had won a 100g gold bar and was asked to hand over her gold chain and other jewellery for additional chances in the draw.
“The suspects promised to return with the prizes, but never did,” Comm Mohd Alwi said, adding that the victim later discovered the gold bars she had received were fake.
Comm Mohd Alwi said the same syndicate was believed to have cheated another 62-year-old cleaner in Ipoh on Oct 23 last year.
“The victim lost about RM18,600 in jewellery and money after being lured by promises of gold bars and cash prizes,” he said, adding that the victim was also tricked into surrendering her bank card and PIN to the scammers.
Separately, he said the police have arrested a local woman and two Chinese nationals, aged between 27 and 58, for allegedly supplying mobile phones and SIM cards to facilitate online scams.
He said that the suspects were arrested during a raid at a condominium in Bandar Baru Medan, Ipoh last Friday at about 1.20pm, where it is believed they have been operating from since early this year.
“They would charge between RM300 and RM500 for each mobile phone together with a SIM card,” he said, adding that police also seized various items worth about RM310,400 during the operation.
