Mustafa Kamal (second left) speaks during the press conference.
SIBU: The Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) recorded 140 cases of Macau scam in 2019, involving total losses of about RM13 million.
SIBU: The Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) recorded 140 cases of Macau scam in 2019 ,involving total losses of about RM13 million.
CCID Sarawak chief Supt Mustafa Kamal Ghani Abdullah said the figure was a drop from 2018, which registered 209 cases – representing a decline of about 33 per cent.
Of the 140 cases, 42 were reported in Miri, 33 in Kuching and 31 in Sibu.
Mustafa Kamal said the highest amount in a single case involved a sum of RM1.53 million, while the lowest amount was RM1,000. Despite the drop, he said the police would continue to work hard to combat online scams.
He reminded the people to always be alert and vigilant so that they would not get duped.
“Never answer a call if you feel suspicious about the source. Once you entertain the calls and once you panic, chances are you can get duped and you would follow any instruction from the scammers,” he said during a press conference held yesterday afternoon.
Mastafa Kamal said the police had regularly reminded the people to be on the safe side and not to answer unwarranted calls, but they continued to receive reports of victims getting cheated.
“The police and the court would never call the people, asking them to transfer money to a given account. If the scammers accuse you of committing crimes or any other offences, go straight to the nearest station and bank to check the facts.”
Mustafa Kamal said the victims could also call him personally via 019-700 0577 to confirm the details.
He said for 2019, police also arrested 60 suspects with 24 charged, versus 47 arrests in 2018 with 10 charged. Of the Macau scam victims, he said 55 were from the private sector, 39 were jobless and another 22 were civil servants.
On the African Love Scam, he said police recorded 84 cases involving total losses of RM4.4 million for 2019, compared to 102 cases in 2018 – a drop of 17.65 per cent.
The biggest loss in a single case involved a sum of RM1.04 million, while the lowest is RM500.
The private sector accounted for 37 victims, while 36 victims were jobless, and 11 were civil servants. He said 28 arrests were made last year with 19 charged, versus 10 arrests with seven charged in 2018.