SIBU: A total of 1,306 scam cases involving losses amounting to RM49.3 million were recorded from January to July this year.
The figures for same period last year were 1,161 cases with losses totalling RM24.7 million.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said the number of cases showed an increase of 145 cases or 12.49 per cent. As for the losses, it showed an increase of RM24.6 million or 99.56 per cent.
“The cases that involve the most victims and losses in Sarawak are e-commerce with 350 cases and RM2.8 million in losses; job offers (186 cases; RM6.1 million); non-existent loans (175 cases; RM1.2 million); phone scams (147 cases; RM10.1 million); and investments (113 cases; RM15.1 million).
“The Commercial Crime Investigation Department’s (CCID) continuous efforts to curb commercial crime have also resulted in a total of 345 arrests this year.
“A total of 553 individuals (including previous year’s cases) have been charged in court, involving 538 investigation papers and a total of 750 charges,” he said during the Townhall Discussion on Cybercrimes at Universiti Teknologi Sarawak (UTS) this morning.
Mohd Azman also revealed that the CCID had crippled a calling centre syndicate which carried out bank account activities and transferring money out to other bank accounts in online job offer scams.
The syndicate involved five suspects including a woman, who are between 23 and 33 years old.
All of them were charged under Section 120B of the Penal Code for criminal conspiracy on Aug 18.
