Bukit Aman Commercial CID director Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said the suspects were all locals, aged between 21 and 52.

They comprised four bank account holders and the rest were internet protocol (IP) address owners used for the crime.

“The modus operandi of the syndicate was to advertise goods on e-commerce platforms and contact interested buyers before ordering them to deal directly with the suspects.

“However, the items promised were not delivered after payments were made,” he said in a statement today.

Kamarudin added that police also recovered seven mobile phones, three laptops, 10 credit cards, three modems and one Bangladesh passport.

Police believe they have solved at least 28 other cases following the arrests, he said.

Kamarudin said 4,364 e-commerce cheating cases were recorded from Jan 1 till June 20 this year.

In this regard, he advised the public to be careful and make purchases via reliable e-commerce platforms. Customers could also check the telephone number and bank accounts involved here.

“Avoid dealing directly with the sellers, especially if they are not familiar and do not reveal their identity,” he said.

Members of the public can contact CCID Scam Resource Centre via 03-26101559 and 03-26101599 to get advice or channel information on online criminal cases.