Police in Johor arrest 35 Chinese nationals operating scam targeting Spaniards
Last week, police in Johor raided a luxury villa housing a scam centre run by Chinese nationals.
The scam targeted Spaniards and involved offering fake jobs to people in Spain.
The raid resulted in the arrests of 35 Chinese nationals aged between 21 and 39.
According to The New Straits Times, police are now hunting a 25-year-old Malaysian they believe to be acting as a middle man for the group.
Scam targeting people in Spain
Police said the scammers used AI to overcome the language barrier.
“The suspects allegedly translated their voices from Chinese to English, while Spanish voices were translated into English to facilitate communication with victims,” they said.
They would then lure Spaniards with the promise of a high-paying job.
Those who wanted higher salaries were required to pay for expensive packages before finding out that they were hoodwinked.
Source: Shin Min Daily News 新明日报 on Facebook
Their operation was based in a bungalow in Gelang Patah.
The bungalow, which police raided on 14 May, contained six rooms and cost RM18,000 (S$5,810) per month to rent.
Arrests and equipment seizure
Investigation reveals that the syndicate has been active since February this year.
Of the 35 individuals arrested, 33 worked as agents looking for victims on the Telegram messaging app. The other two worked as cooks for the agents.
During the raid, police seized equipment the scammers used, including 35 mobile phones, 35 computers, 10 desktop computers and 12 modems.
Each of the 35 men were paid up to RM4,000 (S$1,290) per month for their activities.
Source: The New Straits Times
All the suspects tested negative for drugs and had no prior criminal record.
Police are currently hunting for 25-year-old Muhamad Ling Mohd Adam Ling, who is believed to be the one responsible for organising the syndicate’s activities in the area.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News 新明日报 on Facebook and The New Straits Times.
