KUALA LUMPUR: Three men, who targeted online buyers and sellers of second hand goods (mobile phones) using fake currency were arrested by the police in two raids at Taman Midah and Taman Desa on Jan 24.
It is learnt that the men preyed on online sellers, mostly those selling high-end goods and mobile phones who advertise through online stores.
City deputy police chief, Datuk Law Hong Soon said the men, all aged between 30 and 60 were caught red handed in the midst of a cash-on-delivery transaction of a phone opposite a bank in Taman Midah, Cheras.
"Police seized 64 fake RM100 and two RM50 banknotes from the suspects at the scene," he said adding that they are responsible for printing and using the fake notes to make their purchases.
Law said following the arrest, the investigation team were led to a house at Taman Desa, Off Old Klang Road, where authorities found laptop computers, paper cutters, a hair dryer, spray paint cans and a money detector, items which were used to produce the fake notes.
He said modus operandi of the trio was to prey on customers from any online shopping or auction sites, then set an appointment with the seller to meet and exchange the purchased item with cash.
"The suspects would mix the real currency note with the fake ones to deceive their victims, when only when the victim tries to deposit the bank notes that they would know the notes were fake.
“In a face-to-face transaction, Law said, normally the sellers would try to deposit the cash into a deposit machine, but only a few of the notes would be accepted. The fake ones would normally get stuck in the machine," he said adding that only the next day, the victim would know, after being notified by the bank.
Law said police had received four reports on similar cases with losses totalling to RM4,600 which were allegedly committed by the suspects, mostly in Cheras area.
"Except for the materials used to produce the note being of lesser quality compared to real notes, the rest looks almost identical. It can easily pass off as the real note to an unsuspecting person," he told reporters in a press conference at the City police headquarters.
It is believed that the suspects have been actively scamming online shoppers and advertisers since December last year.
He said the suspects, all unemployed, have been remanded to facilitate investigations.