IPOH: More than 2,000 commercial crime cases have been reported to the Perak police for the first nine months of the year.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the cases involved a total loss of RM77,707,766.17.
Comm Mohd Yusri said that last year, the overall cases reported were 2,053 cases with a total loss of RM100,996,301.46.
“The number of cases just for the first nine months has already exceeded the total cases reported last year.
“The cases involved phone, and job scams, as well as bogus loans among others,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 4).
He said at the same time, the department had identified and arrested 1,096 people involved in the crime.
“Majority of those arrested were the ones with mule accounts.
“There are a few successful arrests made involving non-existent investments.
“The department has managed to break a number of syndicates, mule account agents, and also several people believed to be loan shark members, that threw red paint, and threatened borrowers,” he added.
Mohd Yusri said a total of 764 people have been charged in court from Jan 1 to Sept 30.
“The department also carries out several prevention activities to curb such scammer activities, especially those involving online.
“A total of 858 activities, and prevention programmes have been carried out, including talks, exhibitions, and advice to the public via the media as well as social media,” he added.
Comm Mohd Yusri said the prevention activities are aimed at providing awareness to the public.
“The department is also cooperating with several government and private agencies to jointly organise preventative programmes.
“Despite all the programmes held, there are still many people who fall prey to such cheating.
“The victims include professionals, senior citizens, and retirees,” he added.
He also urged the public to get more information on the latest tactics and modus operandi used by the scammers on social media sites.
“Please be very careful when receiving calls from individuals asking to make payments, transactions via ATM machines, or by disclosing TAC numbers.
“Before doing all this, please verify with banks, the authorities, or the relevant agencies if indeed there is a need to make any payments, or if the individual is in any kind of trouble as claimed by the caller.
