IPOH, Nov 3 — Police arrested five Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in an investment scam syndicate during a raid on a house in Anjung Bercham Utama here last Friday.

Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the suspects, all men aged between 26 and 43, were detained at about 6.30 pm after the department received information about the scam.

“Based on initial investigations and conversation scripts found on seized computers, police believe the syndicate ran a call centre operation to carry out non-existent online investment scams.

“The syndicate is believed to have been operating from the premises since September, targeting victims in Germany,” he said in a statement last night. 

He said the syndicate used WhatsApp and local internet access to carry out fraudulent activities, using profile pictures of attractive women to contact victims at random.

Mohd Alwi said victims were persuaded to join investment schemes claimed to be based in Germany that promised high returns. The victims were asked to make repeated payments.

He added police seized five computers, 10 mobile phones, and four routers, estimated to be worth about RM25,000.

He said all the suspects have been remanded for four days, starting last Saturday until tomorrow, to facilitate investigations under Section 420 and Section 120B of the Penal Code, as well as Section 6(1)© of the Immigration Act 1959/63. — Bernama