US$2m ‘scratch and win’ scam busted in Penang, 29 arrested

Penang police dismantled an international scam syndicate primarily targeting individuals in China and Cambodia, leading to the arrest of 29 foreign nationals during recent raids.

The operation, conducted by the Penang Commercial Crime Investigation Department, uncovered three bungalows functioning as call centres in Barat Daya.

Using platforms like Facebook Live, the syndicate allegedly executed fraudulent "scratch and win" schemes, deceiving victims into making payments without delivering on promised prizes.

Authorities seized numerous electronic devices and documents, and investigations are ongoing to trace the syndicate's mastermind.

GEORGE TOWN, Oct 1 — Penang police have busted an international scam syndicate targeting victims, particularly in China and Cambodia, with the arrest of 29 foreign nationals in raids on three bungalows used as call centres in Barat Daya on September 22.

State police chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng said the operation by the Penang Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK), based on intelligence and surveillance, resulted in the arrest of 19 Chinese nationals and 10 Cambodians, aged between 20 and 63.

The first raid in Teluk Kumbar led to the arrest of 14 Chinese men who had no travel documents, while the second raid in the same area resulted in the detention of three Chinese men, a Cambodian man and three Cambodian women.

“The third raid at Solok Bukit Belah, Bayan Baru, saw two Chinese men and six Cambodian women arrested. Those detained in the second and third raids had passports, with some having previously entered Malaysia,” he told a press conference at the Penang Contingent Police Headquarters here today.

Preliminary investigations found that the syndicate had been operating for about two to three months, renting each bungalow for RM10,000 a month and converting the premises into call centres. The suspects were believed to have received up to RM8,000 a month.

The syndicate allegedly used Facebook Live and the LINE application to target victims in China and Cambodia through a ‘scratch and win’ scheme, offering prizes of up to US$2 million.

Victims were instructed to make QR code payments for processing fees, taxes and insurance, but did not receive the promised prizes. Initial checks found that the QR codes were believed to have been registered in Cambodia, with police tracing the flow of funds and other parties involved.

Police seized more than 200 mobile phones, 17 laptops, two desktop computers, six modem or router sets, customer records, ‘Scratch and Win’ cards, suspected fake documents and studio equipment believed to have been used in the operation.

Lim said police believed the three raids were linked to the same syndicate and were tracing its mastermind.

All 29 suspects have been remanded until October 13. The case is being investigated under Section 420 read together with Section 120B of the Penal Code, as well as Sections 6(1) and 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. — Bernama

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槟城警方捣毁了一个主要针对中国和柬埔寨人士的国际诈骗集团，在最近的突袭行动中逮捕了 29 名外国公民。

槟城商业罪案调查部门开展的此次行动，在巴拉特达亚地区发现了三栋用作呼叫中心的独立式洋房。

该犯罪团伙涉嫌利用 Facebook Live 等平台实施欺诈性的“刮刮乐”计划，诱骗受害者付款，却不兑现承诺的奖品。

当局查获了大量电子设备和文件，目前正在进行调查，以追查该犯罪集团的幕后主使。

乔治市，10 月 1 日讯——槟城警方捣毁了一个针对中国和柬埔寨受害者的国际诈骗集团，于 9 月 22 日突袭了巴拉特达亚的三栋用作呼叫中心的平房，逮捕了 29 名外国公民。

槟城州警察总长拿督林光庆表示，槟城商业罪案调查局（JSJK）根据情报和监视展开行动，逮捕了19名中国公民和10名柬埔寨公民，年龄介于20岁至63岁之间。

在特鲁克昆巴的第一次突袭行动中，14名没有旅行证件的中国男子被捕；而在同一地区的第二次突袭行动中，3名中国男子、1名柬埔寨男子和3名柬埔寨女子被拘留。

“在峇央峇鲁的索洛克武吉贝拉进行的第三次突击行动中，两名中国男子和六名柬埔寨女子被捕。在第二次和第三次突击行动中被拘留的人都持有护照，其中一些人此前曾入境马来西亚，”他今天在槟城特遣警察总部举行的新闻发布会上说。

初步调查发现，该犯罪团伙已运作约两到三个月，以每月1万令吉的价格租用每栋独立式住宅，并将房屋改建为呼叫中心。据信，嫌疑人每月从中获利高达8000令吉。

据称，该犯罪团伙利用 Facebook Live 和 LINE 应用程序，通过“刮刮乐”骗局锁定中国和柬埔寨的受害者，提供高达 200 万美元的奖金。

受害者被指示通过扫描二维码支付手续费、税款和保险费，但并未收到承诺的奖品。初步调查发现，这些二维码据信是在柬埔寨注册的，警方正在追踪资金流向和其他涉案人员。

警方缴获了 200 多部手机、17 台笔记本电脑、2 台台式电脑、6 台调制解调器或路由器、客户记录、“刮刮乐”卡、疑似伪造的文件以及据信用于该犯罪活动的录音室设备。

林警官表示，警方认为这三次突袭行动与同一个犯罪集团有关，目前正在追查幕后主使。

所有29名嫌疑人均已被还押候审至10月13日。此案正根据《刑法》第420条和第120B条以及1959/63年《移民法》第6(1)条和第15(1)(c)条进行调查。——马新社

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