GEORGE TOWN, July 18 — Penang recorded more than RM112 million in losses from cybercrime cases involving online financial fraud in the first six months of this year, with the situation seen to be worsening.
Acting Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said statistics showed RM70.1 million was recorded in the first six months of last year for the same crime, giving an increase of RM42.9 million.
“For the period from early January to yesterday, Penang police have successfully carried out eight raids on call centre syndicates, with the arrest of 75 individuals, consisting of 51 men and 24 women.
“Of the total arrests, 39 are locals while 36 are foreigners, and we are actively carrying out operations from time to time to combat fraudulent syndicates,” he said during a press conference at the Penang contingent police headquarters today.
Alwi also warned the public not to easily fall for calls, messages or offers which seem too good to be true, and to verify information with the authorities or official sources first.
In a separate development, he said the police are identifying an illegal money-lending syndicate which hired two men, who were arrested, to assist in the investigation into the fire of three terrace houses in Tasek Gelugor on June 24.
The two men, in their 20s, are believed to have committed the arson, and investigations also found that a borrower was among the victims of the fire.
“Once the investigation by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CID) into the two detained men is complete, we will try to identify and track down the individual or Ah long (loan shark) who hired the two suspects,” Alwi said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 436 of the Penal Code (mischief by fire).
Earlier, it was reported that three houses, five cars, and four motorcycles in Taman Tasek Gelugor Utama were destroyed in a fire at 4.50am, but the incident did not involve loss of life or injury.
Meanwhile, he said the hunt for two suspects who fired shots at a four-wheel drive car in front of a primary school in Sungai Nyior on July 1 is still ongoing.
— Bernama
