Penang police have dismantled five suspected scam call centres, including one that allegedly impersonated the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during raids conducted last week.
Penang Police Chief Datuk Dennis Lim said the operations carried out on July 16 and 17 targeted call centres operating from rented bungalows across the state, resulting in the arrest of more than 100 individuals from eight countries.
He said investigations found that most of the syndicates focused on investment scams targeting victims in China, while another group allegedly deceived victims in the United States and Canada by posing as law enforcement officers.
“They operated here, but their victims were overseas,” Lim said during a press conference today.
Police seized several items believed to have been used in the scam operations, including folders bearing the logos of the DoJ and FBI, as well as items resembling uniforms from the Ottawa Police Service.
Investigators also discovered handwritten scripts allegedly used by the operators, which contained instructions on how to pose as fraud investigators, question victims about alleged unauthorised transactions and transfer them to another individual pretending to be an investigating officer.
Lim said police have yet to establish any connection between the five call centres, although preliminary investigations showed they had only been operating in Penang for about one to two months.
Authorities believe the syndicates may have moved to Penang following a major crackdown carried out by Bukit Aman in the Klang Valley two months ago.
The suspected call centres were located in areas including Batu Ferringhi, Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Tikus, Gelugor and Bukit Mertajam.
Lim said police would continue cooperating with foreign authorities to determine whether any of those arrested were wanted in their respective countries, while investigations into possible immigration offences are also ongoing.
He also advised homeowners and property agents to conduct proper background checks before renting out properties to prevent them from being misused for criminal activities.
Meanwhile, police also arrested a 37-year-old man in Teluk Air Tawar on July 20 and seized 3.1kg of suspected MDMA worth an estimated RM470,000.
The suspect is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
