SHAH ALAM: Five scam syndicates, including one involving fraudulent subscriptions to adult video sites, have been busted following the arrest of 40 people operating from luxury residences around the Klang Valley.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Shazeli Kahar said five residences used as call centres were raided in Shah Alam, Kajang, Subang Jaya and two locations in Sungai Buloh.
Of those arrested, 37 were foreigners and three were Malaysians.
“Investigations revealed that the suspects were recruited as customer service operators and paid a certain wage. Some had yet to receive any payment but had been promised remuneration.
“These five cases involved different syndicates that had been operating since the middle of this year and targeted victims in Taiwan, China, Japan and Hong Kong.
“Some operators deceived victims by impersonating police officers from an Asian country,” he told a press conference yesterday.
The operations were carried out by the Selangor Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), together with commercial crime investigation divisions from the Sungai Buloh, Shah Alam, Kajang and Subang Jaya district police headquarters.
Comm Shazeli said police were also investigating the authenticity of police identification cards used by some suspects, believed to be part of a new tactic employed by the syndicates.
“The foreign suspects are believed to have entered the country using tourist passes, and checks are being conducted to verify their documents.”
Police seized various items, including mobile phones, books believed to contain scam scripts, modems, routers, laptops and passports. The total value of the items was estimated at RM165,000.
Comm Shazeli urged the public to provide information if they suspect call centre activities being carried out in residential areas or business premises.
