Online scammers rake in RM59.6 million in first of the half year

SHAH ALAM - A total of 1,354 online fraud cases involving losses amounting to RM59.6 million were reported during the first six months of the year.

Selangor police chief Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed said this had contirbuted to around 75 per cent of the commercial crime cases in the state.

Of the total, he said the highest number of online fraud cases reported was on the Macau scam.

"The losses recorded on online scam cases in the state was RM59.6 million between January and June, this year," he said in a press conference after launching the state-level Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Anti-Scam Campaign at the Concorde Hotel, here, today.

He said most of the suspects detained were probed for their role as mule account holders and that in the first half of the year, about 1,700 individuals were arrested for being mule account holders.

Arjunaidi added that due to the existing law, it was difficult for the police to prove the case as the law does not cover online crime.

He expressed the need to enact laws that were more in line with the current development especially in terms of technology.