Police arrested three individuals for impersonating senior officers in a phone scam that cheated a student out of RM70,000 in valuables.
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have dismantled a phone scam syndicate whose members impersonated senior police officers.
Wangsa Maju District Police Chief ACP Mohamad Lazim Ismail said the arrests followed a report from an 18-year-old student on January 10.
The victim was contacted by a suspect posing as an Assistant Commissioner of Police from Bukit Aman.
ALSO READ: Kuching retiree loses RM1.3mil in phone scam impersonating police
The caller falsely accused her of involvement in a money laundering case and demanded she surrender valuables for investigation.
This deception resulted in an estimated loss of RM70,000 for the victim.
Investigations led to the separate arrests of three locals on January 11 and 12.
The suspects, two women and a man, are aged between 28 and 46.
Police seized various items believed to be criminal proceeds during the raids.
The seizure included a Proton Iriz car, handbags, mobile phones, jewellery, RM560 in cash, and two gold bars.
The total seized items are valued at an estimated RM132,360.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
One suspect was charged in court on January 14 under Section 414 for assisting in concealing stolen property.
The other two individuals will serve as prosecution witnesses.
Mohamad Lazim advised the public to remain vigilant against suspicious phone calls.
He stressed that police business requires physical presence at a station and is never resolved solely by phone.
The public was also advised not to hand over money or personal information to unknown parties.
He urged people to verify bank accounts and phone numbers via the official CCID website.
Anyone receiving a suspicious call should record the details and lodge a police report immediately. – Bernama
