Police have crippled the Internet-based fraud syndicate, 'Macau Scam', following the arrest of three men and a woman from China in the Klang Valley on Oct 19.

Kuala Lumpur police Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief, SAC Izany Abdul Ghany said the suspects aged between 21 and 24 were arrested in a special operation code-named 'Op Pelican' at two houses in One Metro Pudu, Fraser Business Park, here, about 12.30pm.

Among the items seized in the raid were nine laptops and 17 mobile phones of various types, 16 Agro Bank of China OTP (one-time password) devices, four passports, two visit passes and five Chinese national identification cards, he told reporters here, yesterday.

Izany said the initial investigation showed that the suspects had entered the country on tourist visas, and they were running the operation from here targeting victims in their home country.

"The suspects are said to have tricked the victims (in their home country) by hacking the victim's QQ (similar to Facebook) account, posing as a family member, prior to deceiving the victims," he said.

He said police believed the syndicate had been active since February and had raked in millions from the scam.

He said all the suspects were being remanded until Nov 3, and the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

The investigation was also being carried out under the Immigration Act 1956, he added. -- Bernama