KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The police have recorded 1,421 Macau scam cases through telephone calls nationwide, from Jan 1 to Sept15 this year, involving losses of RM57,372,102.

       Commercial CID (CCID) director Comm Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said, based on investigations, the syndicates would contact the victims by impersonating as officers from the police force, Inland Revenue Board, courts, Customs or the Ministry of Health and inform them of their involvements in investigations on crime cases.

       "The victims who are duped by the claims would be directed to surrender their banking information such as user passwords, ATM card numbers and transaction authorisation code (TAC) numbers to the syndicates on the pretext of investigations by the authorities.

       "The syndicates will also direct the victims to transfer money to the bank accounts of third parties (mule accounts) which they claim belong to Bank Negara officials for investigative purposes,” he said in a statement on Monday (Sept 27).

       He said the syndicates would promise the return of the money after several days but the victims only realised they have cheated when they fail to get back their money.

       Comm Mohd Kamarudin said that the authorities, especially the police, would not deal through telephone calls especially involving matters related to government departments.

       The police only communicate via telephones to make appointments and conduct further businesses at the government offices concerned and would not ask for any personal information such as banking passwords or amount of money in the bank via telephone calls, he said.

       He said in efforts to prevent such cases from recurring, the public is urged to be more careful when dealing through telephone calls.

       "The public is also reminded against sharing financial or banking information with anyone to avoid becoming victims of such scams. For inquiries, contact the CCID response centre at 03-2610559/1599," he said.- Bernama