KUALA LUMPUR: Instead of getting their own members to carry out their scams, some syndicates are now resorting to using victims to do their dirty deeds.
The new modus operandi was detected when police found that a bank officer, who is a scam victim, was unwittingly used by a syndicate to receive RM100,000 from another victim last month.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the tactic was uncovered when the police received a report from a 37-year-old man saying he had suffered RM138,000 in losses to a scam.
“An executive from a private company lodged the police report on Oct 28, claiming he was duped by a scam syndicate.”
Comm Ramli said the victim received a call in mid-October from an individual claiming to be from an e-commerce platform.
“The syndicate claimed that the victim’s phone number was used to sell prohibited items before the call was transferred to another person claiming to be a police officer.
“The victim was then instructed to transfer RM38,000 to a bank account, supposedly for the purpose of an investigation.
“He was also told to hand over RM100,000 to a woman, who is a bank officer, in person,” he told a press conference at the CCID headquarters yesterday.
Comm Ramli said investigations showed the 30-year-old bank officer was also a victim of the scam syndicate.
“She has been detained to assist in the investigation. We discovered she was duped by the syndicate about three months ago.
“The syndicate instructed her to report every three hours and to apply for an RM89,000 loan, which would be transferred to another account,” he said.
Comm Ramli said the woman was also told to get RM100,000 from the male victim and transfer it to four different accounts.
“Checks on her mobile phone revealed her involvement as a victim who was used by the syndicate.
“She has been released on police bail but the investigation is still ongoing.”
Comm Ramli said the case is an example of how scam syndicates are becoming adept at using new tactics to manipulate victims in such that they do not realise they are being used.
“In the past, such scams only involved financial losses. But now victims could even be duped to become a syndicate’s agent,” he added.
In another case, a senior citizen lost about RM1mil after he was tricked by a scam syndicate.
He said the 65-year-old man lodged a police report in Penang on Monday.
“The victim, who is a retiree, had received a call from an individual claiming to be from Tabung Haji on Oct 18.
“He was told that his account was implicated in money laundering activities.
“He was then contacted by a man posing as a policeman from Ampang, saying he is under investigation,” he added.
The victim was also instructed to report five times daily to a woman the man had claimed to be a deputy public prosecutor, he said.
“The retiree followed all the instructions including opening a new bank account and transferring all his savings to the new account.
“He also gave the scammers all his banking details.
“The victim only realised he was duped when he told his children about the incident,” he said.
Comm Ramli said an investigation showed the funds in the new bank account had been transferred to several other accounts in 60 transactions.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
