They loved and lost, to online scammers

JOHOR BARU: “I don’t know why I love you; I just know you’re the only reason why I cannot love others,” is among the lines used by scammers working at a fake investment call centre based in the city centre here.

This group promoted its investment scams through social media and communications apps such as TikTok, Telegram, and WeChat.

Scammers would use the scripts they were provided to lower their victim’s guard with “affectionate” words before finally offering the victims a link to a “free” investment application.

Johor police chief Comm M. Kumar said the group targeted both locals and victims in foreign countries.

“The script was provided in English and Mandarin and conversations were conducted in phases – the conversation is divided into five days, with day one starting with a basic information exchange before finally getting more personal and eventually offering the victim a link on the fifth day.

“This means each victim had been conversing with these scammers for a week before finally being scammed.

“The victim would be given a promise of a safe investment with an immediate high return,” he said, adding that the group has been active since February this year and was busted based on surveillance conducted by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID).

Arrests were made last Thursday between 10.55am and 5pm under Ops Nuri at three houses located in a gated and guarded housing area. The houses were being used as call centres.

A total of 19 people were arrested, including a 16-year-old girl, all of whom have been working as call centre agents, with one working as a supervisor.

“Each call centre agent received RM2,500 a month as payment, while their supervisor was paid RM7,000.

“Those arrested consist of eight local men, seven local women, and four foreign men, all aged between 16 and 38, while the supervisor is a man in his 40s,” Comm M. Kumar told a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here yesterday.

He added that an investigation is currently underway to identify the total losses suffered by victims as all transactions were conducted online.

The CCID team also confiscated 73 mobile phones, 40 SIM cards, 16 script papers, 14 laptops, one vehicle, a script book, a modem, and a house key.