Bukit Aman commercial crime investigation department director Ramli Yoosuf said the syndicate created fake social media accounts to befriend people in the US. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Police have busted an online gambling and love scam syndicate that targeted victims residing in the US, arresting 12 people.
Bukit Aman commercial crime investigation department director Ramli Yoosuf said the suspects, aged 18 to 43, were nabbed on May 16 at a residential unit in Kuala Lumpur, which acted as a call centre for the syndicate.
He said the syndicate, which had been operating since April, would create fake Facebook and Instagram accounts to befriend people in the US.
The victims would then be sent links to online gambling sites, which would see them losing all the money placed as bets, Bernama reported.
“The detainees were the call centre’s agents and were paid RM2,500 a month. They also had a 4% commission from the total losses suffered by the victims,” he said.
Police confiscated nine laptops, 33 mobile phones, foreign currencies, two luxury watches, five rings and a necklace.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
