A group of five Chinese nationals allegedly used photographs of attractive women on WhatsApp to lure victims into fake investment schemes, targeting individuals in Germany.
The suspected scam operation was uncovered following a police raid on a house in Anjung Bercham Utama, Ipoh, last Friday.
All five suspects, aged between 26 and 43, were arrested during the operation at approximately 6.30pm by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Perak police contingent headquarters, together with its counterpart from the Ipoh district police headquarters.
Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the raid followed intelligence about suspected online scam activities being conducted at the premises.
“Based on preliminary investigations and examination of conversation scripts found on the seized computers, police believe the syndicate was operating a call centre to carry out online fake investment scams,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
The syndicate is believed to have started operating from the premises in September, with Germany identified as its target market.
Mohd Alwi said the suspects allegedly used WhatsApp and local internet connections to carry out their activities.
They reportedly posed as attractive women by using photographs of female individuals before randomly contacting potential victims and promoting investment opportunities in companies supposedly based in Germany.
Victims were then persuaded to invest with promises of high returns before being repeatedly asked to make payments, he added.
During the raid, police seized five computers, 10 mobile phones and four internet routers, with the total value of the items estimated at approximately RM25,000.
All five suspects have been remanded for four days to assist investigations under Section 420 and Section 120B of the Penal Code, as well as Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Mohd Alwi said Perak police would continue taking proactive measures to dismantle call centres involved in online scams.
He also urged the public to remain cautious and avoid placing trust in individuals known only through online conversations.
Anyone with information about similar activities is encouraged to contact their nearest police station.
