SPM candidates among 20 nabbed in 'like and share' syndicate raid

LUMUT: Two Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates were among 20 people arrested for being involved in a ‘Like and Share’ scam that targets victims in India.

Manjung district police chief ACP Nor Omar Sappi said the two female students were nabbed along with nine locals and nine Chinese nationals during the 9 pm raid at a house in Ayer Tawar, near here at on Friday.

He said the foreigners, comprising six men and three women, acted as supervisors, while the Malaysians were recruited to lure victims on Facebook.

Investigations also found that the locals were made to work every day on a 12-hour shift from 11.30 am to earn salaries ranging from RM2,000 to RM7,000.

“The modus operandi is to offer potential victims with 22 Rupees (RM1.22) for every ‘Like and Share' before they are asked to pay up a certain amount to earn further profits, but in reality, these victims end up losing more than what they invested,” he told a media conference at the district police headquarters here.

Nor Omar said the syndicate had been active in the last two months, adding that police also seized eight computers and 57 mobile phones believed to have been used to conduct their fraudulent activities.

The suspects, aged between 18 and 45, are now under remand for six days to facilitate investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

All of them have no criminal records, he said while adding that police were also investigating the foreigners’ travel documents.

-- BERNAMA