Barat Daya district police chief Kamarul Rizal Jenal said the two men and two women, aged 36 to 75, were detained in several locations in Penang by the commercial crime investigation department (CCID) team.

“In the first case, police arrested a 75-year-old woman for being a mule account holder of a fraud syndicate which deceived victims via a ‘phone scam’ by impersonating Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) personnel and police officers.

“Based on investigations, it was found that the victim had made eight online transactions amounting to RM88,900 to three different bank accounts, including the one belonging to the senior citizen,” he told Bernama.

He said in the second case, police detained a 43-year-old man for allowing his bank account to be used as a mule account for a fraud syndicate that deceived victims in non-existent online investments. The victim had made 16 online transactions to different bank accounts amounting to RM42,956.76.

Kamarul said the third case involved a 43-year-old man who was a mule account holder for a “phone scam” syndicate impersonating Telekom Malaysia officials and police officers. The 37-year-old victim, a clerk, had given her bank account username and password to the bogus officers. Later, on checking, she found her money in the bank had reduced by RM25,000.

He said the fourth case involved the arrest of a 36-year-old woman for deceiving a victim in a transaction involving an online car purchase in Bayan Lepas. The victim had made several transactions to the suspect’s bank account amounting to RM5,000.

Kamarul said all four suspects had been remanded for further investigation, including to detect the network of fraud syndicates involved. Their cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud.