KUANTAN: Unsuspecting local job seekers could find themselves in hot water if their bank accounts are found to be used by Macau Scam syndicate.
Pahang Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said job hunters were being duped into believing non-existent employment opportunities offered by the scammers.
He said the syndicate employed such tactic and the victims were unknowingly made ‘account mules’ after being promised a job.
“The syndicate would ask the locals to open a bank account and furnish its details including the ATM (automated teller machine) card’s pin number (as part of the procedure to obtain a job).
“These bank accounts were then used for the syndicate’s transactions in its scams.
“The scammers would first advertise non-existent jobs, targeting the unemployed.
“The victims did not find anything suspicious as the scammers would inform them that the bank account details, that would be kept by the company’s human resources division, were needed for payment of salary,” he told NSTP recently.
The syndicate, he said, would disappear after obtaining the bank account details.
He advised the public against giving banking details to strangers.
“There are also scammers who would camouflage their organisation as money-lending company and trick victims into revealing their bank account details.
“Other tactics include deceiving victims into opening a bank account for investment purposes.
“We hope the public would verify any offer for jobs or loans before revealing their banking details to others to avoid falling prey to Macau Scam,” he said.
He said account mules could be charged under Section 420/109 of the Penal Code for abetment to commit cheating.
Mohd Wazir said in Pahang, over RM3.96 million losses incurred from Macau Scam were reported until August, as compared to an overall loss of RM1.31 million last year.