SEPANG: Police have busted a fraud syndicate, offering jobs through e-commerce platforms involving losses of RM843,996, with the arrest of five individuals, including a foreigner, in a raid at residential premises in Cyberjaya on Tuesday (Aug 2).

Sepang district police chief, ACP Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof, said that the five suspects, aged 17 to 32, have been remanded for three days beginning Aug 3, and five laptops, as well as five mobile phones, were also seized.

He said the syndicate was believed to have been operating for several months, targeting those interested in an offer to become sales representatives with lucrative salaries and commissions.

He added that the modus operandi of the syndicate was to advertise job offers on Facebook and Instagram, and the scammers would assign the victims to sell products from online companies created by them.

The victim was promised that for every purchase made, they would receive a commission of 10 per cent, and paid up three times, he said at a press conference today.

Wan Kamarul Azran said the syndicate was uncovered when the victims, who are mostly university students, claimed that they did not receive any promised commission, while the customers also did not receive their products.

He said the syndicate had used 22 mule accounts for sales transactions for the non-existent products, and involved 31 victims, including recruiters and customers.

'The highest loss recorded involved a university student from Cheras, amounting to RM49,000. A total of 22 mule accounts will have their accounts frozen and the owners of the accounts will also be called to testify," he said.

He added that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

-- BERNAMA