Bernama
29/4/2022
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| Datuk Kamarudin Md Din |
KUALA LUMPUR (April 29): Nine individuals including two women were detained on suspicion of being involved in a syndicate offering non-existent jobs in Australia in two separate raids in the Klang Valley on Wednesday.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Kamarudin Md Din
said all the suspects, aged 20 to 31, were believed to be working at the syndicate’s call centre which had been operating since March 2020.
He said investigations revealed that the syndicate used social media platforms such as the Whatsapp application, Facebook and Instagram, under https:///www.facebook.com/ecotravelmalaysia and https://www.facebook.com/malaysiaecotravel, to advertise job offers in Australia.
Kamarudin said the syndicate also used https:www.malaysia-ecotravel.com/ website to guide unsuspecting victims to apply for a work visa abroad.
“Victims were charged AUD420 (RM1,400) for processing costs (visa application) and the syndicate entered the victim’s information in the ‘immiaccount online application’ before sending them a screenshot showing the application document as well as a copy of the fake document using the Australian Government-Department Home Affairs letterhead.
“Based on the record in the immiaccount online application, a total of 658 applications using the syndicate’s email address is still pending for processing involving Bangladeshis, Malaysians and Pakistanis,” he said in a statement today.
Kamarudin said as of today 1,023 individuals have lodged a report to the Australian embassy while police received 28 reports regarding the matter with losses amounting to RM155,472.
He said the syndicate changed its company name, Facebook account and website address several times, using names such as Top Speed Agency Visa and Eco Travel Malaysia, among others, but the design, email template, invoice as well as social media accounts maintained the same format.
Those who have fallen victim to this syndicate are urged to lodge a report so that further investigations can be carried out, he added.
“Individuals are advised to check and confirm with the relevant agencies before applying for a suspicious job offer or contact the CCID Scam Response Centre at 03-26101559 or 03-26101599,” he said.
Kamarudin said the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Prevention of Crime Act 1959 and Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
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