POLICE on Tuesday detained seven men and uncovered a syndicate using a platform to buy and sell goods to dupe victims into downloading an Android Package Kit (APK) before siphoning their money.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Azmi Abu Kassim said a team from the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department arrested the suspects, comprising three locals and four foreigners, aged between 20 and 27.

“The downloaded APK file allowed the syndicate to use the victim’s debit card because the victim had entered their banking information when the file was downloaded.

“As a result, the victim’s debit card will be used through an electronic payment application without the victim’s knowledge. Preliminary investigations found this syndicate had been operating for three months around Kuala Lumpur,” he said in a statement yesterday.

In the raid, he said police also confiscated 28 mobile phones and five computer units believed to have been used in fraud activities.

He said syndicate members, who acted as customer service officers on a salary of RM4,000, were now detained for investigations under section 420 of the penal code for committing fraud.

Accordingly, he also advised the public not to be easily deceived by offers from unknown origins and to report to the National Scam Response Centre at 997 if they have any information about scam syndicates. – Bernama, March 23, 2023.