MELAKA: State police have smashed an e-commerce fraud syndicate masterminded by a foreigner with the arrest of 10 individuals.

       Melaka police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Abdul Majid Mohd Ali said two foreigners, one of whom had overstayed in the country, were detained during a raid at a bungalow in Taman Kota Bendahari here on Aug 20.

       “The locals had no previous criminal record and were paid by the mastermind for their roles to ‘like and share’ each of the products to convince buyers.

       “Those arrested are aged between 19 and 36,” he said yesterday.

       DCP Abdul Majid said the victims of the syndicate were from overseas, especially China, and were lured to buy consumer products.

       However, the items were not sent to the buyers once payments had been made.

       “The syndicate operated on a foreign website,” he added.

       DCP Abdul Majid said the foreigners were remanded for two weeks while the locals had been released on police bail.

       All of them were being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, as well as the Immigration Act 1959/1963.

       Police also confiscated 15 cellphones, six laptops and an international passport, among others.

       Meanwhile, DCP Abdul Majid said scams involving online purchases, non-existent loans and Macau scams formed the bulk of cheating cases registered by Melaka police.

       He said in the 157 cheating cases involving online purchases with losses amounting to RM1.2mil, registered from January to July this year, 42 suspects were detained and 36 of them prosecuted.

       He said 136 cases of non-existent loans were recorded in the first seven months of this year, with losses totalling about RM1.6mil.

       “We detained 88 suspects between January and July, and 56 of them were prosecuted,” he added.

       For Macau scams, 58 cases were recorded, with losses amounting to RM3.5mil. A total of 64 suspects had been detained and 20 of them prosecuted.

       DCP Abdul Majid said following the relentless effort to curb fraud, Melaka police saw a drop of 18.56% (31 cases) for non-existent loans and 51.26% (61 cases) for Macau scams, although scams involving online purchases saw an increase of 29.75% (36 cases) up to July.