NILAI: Police have arrested a man who allegedly offered a RM200,000 bribe to policemen to release five members of a syndicate detained for being involved in online scams.

       Negri Sembilan police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamad Mat Yusop said the suspect, in his 30s, was detained at a petrol station in Bandar Baru Nilai at 1.40am on Sunday (Nov 14).

       "The suspect was detained after he offered the bribe to the police team.

       "We will hand him over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for further action," he told reporters at the district police station here on Sunday.

       DCP Mohamad said the police team had earlier raided an apartment at 10pm on Saturday (Nov 13) and arrested five suspects including two women aged between 21 and 24 for allegedly being involved in an investment scam.

       Police also seized 15 mobile phones, two laptops and RM2,473 from the suspects.

       "Preliminary investigations have revealed that the syndicate was involved in scamming people over a non-existent investment scheme on Facebook.

       "They would then contact their potential victims via WhatsApp and use bank accounts of other individuals to run the scams," he said, adding that the syndicate was believed to have been operating in Nilai for the past six months.

       DCP Mohamad said police believe they had solved 11 cases related to the syndicate.

       Three of the cases were reported in Negri Sembilan and eight in other states.

       He said the victims were all Malaysians.

       "People get conned because the syndicate will offer unusually high returns.

       "The public need to exercise caution when offered such schemes to avoid getting cheated," he said.

       Citing examples, DCP Mohamad said the syndicate offered returns that depended on the amount invested.

       Those who invested RM500 would get a profit of RM7,750 in two days and if they put in RM800, the returns would go up to RM14,080.

       Those prepared to invest RM1,500 would be paid up to RM26,300 and an investment of RM3,000 was worth RM63,000 in returns.

       DCP Mohamad said the syndicate would change the name of the scheme after a few months to hoodwink the public.

       "We believe there are more members of the syndicate and will continue our probe to trace their whereabouts," he added.

       The five suspects would be investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

       Offenders can be jailed between one and 10 years or fined or both upon conviction.