215 online job scams involving losses of RM16.46 million reported in Selangor

SHAH ALAM - A total of RM16.46 million in losses involving 215 cases of fraudulent online part-time job offers were recorded from January to July this year.

Selangor Police Chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said this was an 82.3 per cent increase from the RM660,127.63 loss involving 38 cases recorded during the same period last year.

He said the syndicates’ modus operandi involved victims receiving a short message via Telegram or Whatsapp with part-time job offers from unknown phone numbers.

"Victims are then asked to click on the link provided, if they are interested, for example, https://www.intercambio39.cc/mobile and they will need to register their username and password before starting the task.

"The first task is to buy goods on an e-commerce platform with a small capital and the victims are required to deposit the money into the syndicates’ account. To convince the victims of their ‘legitimacy’, they will get a commission according to the stipulated amount, which is between 10 per cent and 30 per cent,” he said in a statement today.

Hussein said the victims will be asked to complete more tasks with larger amounts of purchases before they eventually realise that they have been duped when they don’t get the promised quantum of profit.

"In June, a 62-year-old retired information technology manager suffered losses worth RM1.8 million, with the victim making 110 online cash transactions to different bank accounts.

"The victim got the return as promised on the first and second tasks but for the following tasks from June 13 to July 27, she made 110 cash transactions before realising she had been duped after the suspect still asked for payment to complete the tasks and she did not receive the promised returns.

"She then lodged a police report in Petaling Jaya,” he said. - BERNAMA