IPOH: Police have dismantled an online fraud syndicate that used mule accounts following the arrest of three individuals in a special operation.
The operation was conducted on September 3 in Ipoh, Perak, and Pandan Indah, Selangor.
Perak police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin stated that the breakthrough came after a 58-year-old housewife fell victim to a phone scam on August 12.
The caller impersonated authorities and falsely claimed the victim’s bank account was involved in financial crimes. This frightened the victim into handing over her ATM card, enabling the syndicate to withdraw 240,000 ringgit without her knowledge.
Acting on intelligence, the Perak Commercial Crime Investigation Department team and Kampar police headquarters conducted the operation.
Police arrested three individuals believed to be members of the syndicate, whose roles included recruiting people to open digital bank accounts as mules.
Several mobile phones with banking applications and a number of ATM cards were also seized during the operation. Initial investigations reveal the syndicate paid between 200 and 300 ringgit for each successfully opened account using a customer’s personal details.
All suspects are now remanded to assist investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and Section 120(B) for criminal conspiracy.
Conviction under these sections carries a minimum one-year imprisonment and a maximum of ten years. The Royal Malaysian Police emphasised that authorities never make phone calls to direct money transfers or the handover of jewellery.
The public is advised never to hand over bank accounts, PIN numbers, or passwords to others, as account owners can be arrested and charged if the account is used for crime. – Bernama