Malaysians Busted in Hong Kong for Running RM34 Million Phone Scam—Were They Living the High Life?

Source: SAYS

Six Malaysians have been arrested in Hong Kong, caught up in a massive phone scam that raked in a jaw-dropping RM34 million. The suspects were reportedly making a pretty penny, earning between RM5,500 and RM8,900 a month from their shady dealings. But their luck ran out when Hong Kong Police swooped in and shut down their operation.

The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) didn’t just nab these six Malaysians—they also arrested five local Hongkongers who were allegedly in on the scam. According to the South China Morning Post, this is the first time an international crime syndicate has set up shop in Hong Kong, making this case a real eye-opener.

The arrests happened last Thursday, August 22, after police dismantled four of the group’s operational centers scattered across Hong Kong. The suspects, ranging in age from 20 to 67, are now facing serious charges, including conspiracy to defraud, use of fake documents, and money laundering. Among the six Malaysians, all men, were three women and two men from Hong Kong.

Supt Dicken Ko Tik from HKPF’s cyber security and technology crime bureau revealed that this transnational group had been running phone scams since April, ripping off victims to the tune of over HKD61 million (about RM34 million). How did they do it? By using fake identity documents to buy and register Hong Kong phone cards. These cards were then used to pose as customer service reps from big-name companies like WeChat and TikTok, as reported by China Press.

The scammers’ trick was simple yet effective: they’d tell victims they had accidentally activated paid services. To “cancel” these services, victims were asked to transfer a deposit to a bank account. Of course, the deposit was never returned.

During the raids, police seized a treasure trove of evidence, including 87 modem-pool devices, 15 computers, and over 80,000 prepaid phone cards. These modem-pool devices are key to the scam—they convert traditional phone signals into online ones, allowing criminals to use these phone cards to call and scam victims in Hong Kong from anywhere in the world.

Three of the arrested Malaysian men had even tampered with passport and Hong Kong ID card details to register at least 300 prepaid phone cards using computer software. The detained Malaysians had entered Hong Kong as “tourists” but were really making bank from this scam.

The investigation also revealed that the Malaysian suspects allegedly recruited five Hongkongers to provide prepaid phone cards and identity documents for registration. These local recruits also helped with moving materials, renting properties, and managing bank accounts to launder the scam’s proceeds.

To cover their tracks, the syndicate shredded used phone cards and frequently changed their operating bases, as reported by China Press. Despite their efforts, the police managed to contact over 1,000 people who had received calls from the syndicate and even prevented 17 individuals from sending money to the fraudsters.

“Given the large number of phone cards involved, the investigation is far from over,” Chief Inspector Lee Chun-man told the SCMP. “We aim to stop more residents from being duped.”

This case comes in the wake of the Telecommunications (Registration of SIM Cards) Regulation, which took effect in Hong Kong in September 2021. This regulation requires all phone users to register their SIM cards with their real names through telecom providers. Those who didn’t register by February last year had their services cut off.

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