Fraud syndicate offering jobs as online Lazada agents busted

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said 11 men and 11 women, aged 15 to 28, were arrested in the 4 pm raids on Monday.

He said the syndicate's modus operandi was to pose as the 'headquarters' and randomly send out messages on WhatsApp offering job positions as Lazada agents.

The victims would be asked to contact the service centre for more information, where they would be offered commissions of eight to 15 per cent, depending on the total purchases made.

"The victims would then be ordered to purchase products sold on Lazada that were supposedly available immediately," he told reporters here today.

"The victims would also be offered monthly salaries of between RM1,000 and RM3,000, which were quite attractive to the unemployed," he added.

Ayob Khan said the syndicate, which is believed to be targeting Singaporeans, had been in operation for about a month, often switching locations to avoid detection by the authorities.

Meanwhile, the same modus operandi is believed to have been used by another syndicate in Kuala Lumpur, and police are still investigating if it is linked to the one in Kota Tinggi.

He said all the suspects have been remanded for three days beginning yesterday for investigation under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

He advised the public to always be cautious and not easily deceived by online offers promising quick returns.