The arrests followed a series of raids in the Klang Valley last week.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said the suspects, aged between 20 and 30, comprised 15 Malaysians, including three women, and a foreign woman.

He said the modus operandi of the syndicate, believed to be active in the Klang Valley, was to buy bank accounts and ATM cards from anyone for between RM1,000 and RM1,500.

They will then sell these accounts to scam syndicates for up to RM8,000 per card.

He said the two bank officers helped to open 40 bank accounts over the past six months and charged about RM250 for each ATM card they processed.

“We also found that five of the bank accounts implicated were used in 15 cases of online fraud involving a loss of RM2.3 million.

“All transactions took place between February and March this year in eight states, including Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Kedah, Perak and Johor,” he said, adding that the suspects had been remanded.

The case is being investigated under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code for cheating and criminal conspiracy. The suspects face a maximum 10-year jail sentence, whipping and a fine, if convicted.