IPOH — Perak police have busted three scam syndicates targeting Malaysian, Chinese and Japanese victims in separate raids in Ipoh and Kampar, arresting 36 people.

Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said five Japanese men, aged 21 to 27, were arrested at a two-storey house in Kampung Simee at about 6.10pm on October 26 for allegedly impersonating staff from a Japanese hospital.

“An analysis of the devices found that the syndicate had been impersonating staff from a Japanese hospital, claiming victims’ family members had been involved in accidents and required emergency surgery,” he told a press conference at the Perak Police Headquarters today.

The syndicate allegedly demanded payment through Signal and used Japanese bank accounts to receive the money. Police seized 16 mobile phones, seven iPads and two routers worth RM22,500. The group had allegedly been operating since late September.

In a second raid at a factory in Bercham at about 12.05am on October 23, police arrested 25 Chinese nationals, including a woman, aged 26 to 41, over an alleged fake investment scheme targeting Chinese victims.

“The syndicate was using TikTok to promote the scheme before directing interested investors to Telegram for further communication,” Mohd Alwi said.

Victims were directed to the syndicate’s platform and asked to invest between 99 and 199 yuan. 

The suspects allegedly recruited customers for a promised monthly salary of RM8,000.