Malaysian police arrest 38 in raids on six scam syndicates targeting foreign victims including Singapore
Authorities in Selangor dismantled six fraud syndicates in coordinated raids, arresting 38 individuals and seizing devices worth RM138,000 linked to scams targeting foreign victims.
- Selangor police arrested 38 individuals in six raids targeting fraud syndicates.
- Syndicates ran love, job and investment scams targeting foreign nationals.
- Electronic devices worth RM138,000 were seized as evidence.
SELANGOR, MALAYSIA: Selangor police have dismantled six fraud syndicates operating in Kajang and Petaling Jaya, following a series of coordinated raids conducted last week.
Authorities confirmed that 38 individuals were arrested during the operations, including three local men aged between 19 and 50.
Police also seized electronic devices valued at approximately RM138,000 (about US$34,870), believed to have been used to facilitate the scams.
Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar stated on 13 April 2026 that the syndicates were involved in multiple forms of fraud.
These included love scams, job scams, online gambling activities and investment fraud schemes.
Victims were primarily foreign nationals from China, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore.
“Some syndicates offered WeChat and iCloud accounts for sale via Telegram, which were then sold to China-based scam syndicates. Most of the syndicate members acted as customer service personnel and operators,” he said.
He added that two of the three local suspects worked as cooks and drivers for the groups.
Social media used to target victims
Initial investigations found that the syndicates relied heavily on digital platforms to identify and approach victims.
These included WeChat, Potato, WhatsApp, Line and Telegram.
Operators typically posed as legitimate contacts or romantic partners before persuading victims to transfer money or participate in fraudulent investments.
In a separate operation, Kajang police dismantled a love scam syndicate that had been active since February 2026.
Four foreign men were arrested.
The group targeted victims in Indonesia and Singapore, with three suspects acting as operators who built online romantic relationships.
After gaining trust, victim details were passed to other members who carried out fraudulent requests involving non-existent gifts or financial transfers.
Investment scams and “account supply” network
Police also broke up two investment scam groups in additional raids.
One group saw eight male suspects arrested, while another involved seven foreign suspects working as customer service agents alongside one local driver.
Investigations showed the syndicates targeted victims from China, convincing them to invest through a platform known as “POTATO” with promises of high returns.
In another operation, authorities uncovered what was described as an “account supply factory”.
Three foreign men were arrested in a raid conducted at 1.30am on 8 April 2026 in Semenyih.
“Police investigations found that the group had been active since October 2025, creating WeChat and iCloud accounts using false identities before reselling them via Telegram to scam syndicates in China,” Shazeli said.
Legal entry and ongoing investigations
Authorities stated that the foreign suspects had entered Malaysia legally earlier this year using social visit passes.
Their documents are being verified with the Immigration Department.
All suspects have been remanded for between four and seven days.
The case is being investigated under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code.
