SHAH ALAM, Nov 11 — The Selangor police have successfully dismantled a 'love scam' syndicate following a raid on Nov 5, arresting 13 foreign nationals involved in an online fraud operation.
The suspects, consisting of 11 men and two women, were detained at a house in Kajang, which was being used as a call centre to target victims in Japan.
State police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the syndicate had been operating for nearly three months, using social media platforms like Instagram and Line to lure unsuspecting victims.
The scammers employed fake identities, creating convincing online personas and posting regularly to make their accounts appear authentic.
"Once they gained the trust of their targets, they would move the conversation to private messages, asking for personal information like phone numbers and social media accounts," he said during a press conference today.
The syndicate's financial activities were also tracked, with members using encrypted communication platforms, Telegram, and Signal, to manage their illicit operations.
Shazeli added that the police seized 11 mobile phones and laptops during the raid, and all 13 suspects had their remand extended for an additional three days, from November 8 to November 11.
The case is being investigated under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code for cheating and conspiracy to commit criminal activities.
