141 Arrested as Penang Uncovers 14 Online Scam Centres

A major police crackdown in Penang has exposed the scale of organised online fraud operations allegedly using Malaysia as a regional base, with 141 individuals arrested following raids on 14 suspected scam call centres across the state.

The enforcement operation, conducted between October 9 and 29, involved multiple locations across Timur Laut, Barat Daya and Seberang Perai Tengah. Penang police chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng confirmed that nine Malaysians were among those detained, while the remaining suspects comprised foreign nationals from several countries.

The arrests included 93 Chinese nationals, 29 Vietnamese, four Japanese, three Taiwanese, two Cambodians and one Myanmar national. All suspects were aged between 18 and 48, reflecting the broad network of individuals allegedly involved in the operations.

Investigators believe the groups were running different forms of online fraud, including investment scams, romance scams, impersonation schemes involving individuals posing as police officers, and fraudulent employment offers. These operations reportedly relied on popular communication and social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to approach potential victims.

The diversity of the suspected schemes suggests that the operations were not confined to a single fraudulent business model. Instead, the groups allegedly exploited different forms of digital interaction to manipulate victims, whether through promises of investment profits, fabricated romantic relationships, false employment opportunities or impersonation of law enforcement personnel.

Police investigations indicate that several syndicates had rented residential properties in recent months to establish their operations. Penang was allegedly used as a strategic operating base, with victims primarily located overseas, including in China, Japan, the United States, Brazil and Hong Kong.

Authorities also seized a substantial amount of equipment believed to have supported the operations. The confiscated items included mobile phones, laptops, tablets, internet routers and various electronic accessories, with an estimated total value of RM1.4 million.