Malaysia arrests 5 people linked to job scam syndicate targeting Singaporeans

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) conducted a joint operation in Kuala Lumpur last week “to cripple a transnational scam syndicate”, said SPF on Wednesday (Mar 27). 

Between Oct 1, 2023, and Jan 31 this year, more than 3,000 victims have fallen prey to job scams, with total losses amounting to at least S$45.7 million (US$33.9 million), said SPF in a press release. 

In light of this, the police “carried extensive investigative probes and shared information with the RMP in order to detect and dismantle job scam crime syndicates targeting Singaporeans”.

“The efforts paid off when the Malaysian criminal syndicate that was operating in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was located,” said SPF.

It added that the syndicate is believed to be linked with at least 40 Singapore police reports, with the reports involving losses totalling more than S$820,000.

Officers from the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the RMP conducted a raid at an apartment complex in Kuala Lumpur on Mar 20. 

Three men and two women aged between 23 and 28, were arrested for their suspected involvement in laundering proceeds of job and other scams targeting Singaporeans.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate started their scam operations early this year,” said SPF, adding that the five Malaysians had been remanded by RMP for further investigation.