After gathering intelligence for nearly three weeks and in response to public reports, the Immigration Bureau conducted a raid on 17 residential scam bases located at Old Kuchai Road!
Deputy Director of Immigration (Operations) Zafir at a press conference in the Putrajaya headquarters stated that they launched the raid operation yesterday (19th), noting that these residences were rented by foreign-operated scam groups, exploiting social media to deceive victims with fraudulent offers on stocks, commodities, real estate, and investments.
“They use social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, WeChat, WhatsApp, and Telegram to target potential victims.”
He mentioned that these sites also function as call centers attempting to contact clients with fraudulent transactions.
“The group uses links controlled by administrators to lure victims into transferring funds, often employing local money mule accounts, putting victims in a difficult situation once contact is lost.”
In this operation, the Immigration Bureau arrested and detained 46 foreign nationals, including 14 Chinese men, 15 Indonesian men, 4 Indonesian women, 1 Myanmar man, 2 Myanmar women, 2 Bangladeshi men, 2 Laotian women, and 6 Thai women.
Zafir stated that the scam group earns a net profit between 100,000 to 150,000 Ringgit daily, while the salaries of the scam members range from 2,500 to 3,500 Ringgit per month.
Additionally, during the operation, they seized 88 smartphones, 26 SIM cards, and 100,000 Ringgit in cash.
He continued that the scam group's target groups include not only locals but also foreign nationals, including their own compatriots.
The 46 foreign nationals were eventually arrested under Section 51 (5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering the country without a valid pass, overstaying, and violating social visit regulations.