17 held for involvement in unlicensed moneylending syndicate
BERNAMA
14/3/2021
KUALA LUMPUR: Police arrested 17 people suspected of working in a call centre for an unlicensed moneylending syndicate in Pusat Perdagangan Puchong Prima, Taman Puchong Prima last Friday (March 12).
Subang Jaya district police chief ACP Abd Khalid Othman (pix) said police raided a shoplot at about 3pm and arrested eight men and nine women including the premises owner, believed to be staff members of the call centre.
“Following a check on the premises, police seized several items believed to be used in promoting and offering bogus loans to the public.
“The seizure included 35 mobile phones, eight desktop computers and a laptop,” he told a media conference at the Subang Jaya Police District Headquarters (IPD) here today.
Abd Khalid said the suspects between the ages of 18 and 37 were taken to Subang Jaya IPD for further action.
He said the syndicate’s modus operandi was to promote their loan schemes on social media platforms including via WhatsApp, targeting small business owners with loan offers of RM200 up to RM1,000.
“Most of the police reports received stated that the syndicate failed to transfer the agreed amount to clients, but still demanded repayments with high interest rates,” he said.
The suspects are on a four-day remand until March 17 to facilitate investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
