13 foreigners arrested in Melaka over love scam, fake crypto exchange

Melaka police have dismantled a criminal network behind love scams and a fake cryptocurrency exchange, arresting 13 foreigners at a house in Taman Kota Shahbandar. The suspects, aged between 24 and 36, included 11 Chinese males, one Taiwanese male, and one Chinese female. According to police, the gang targeted Chinese nationals through messaging apps like Telegram, QQ Chat, and Soul, luring victims with false promises and sweet words.

The syndicate's operations began about three months ago, following their entry into Malaysia from the Philippines, Taiwan, Laos, and China using tourist visas. Initial investigations revealed that the targeted victims were Chinese, and the scammers requested financial transfers in cryptocurrency, promising high returns. The total loss suffered by victims is still under investigation, and the police have seized 12 laptops, a desktop computer, 26 mobile phones, and a Unifi router, valued at approximately RM50,000.

All suspects have been detained for four days to aid the investigation and will be reappearing on November 8. The public is advised to verify suspicious numbers or accounts via the Semak Mule portal, and scam victims can contact the National Scam Response Centre through the 997 hotline for assistance.