On Thursday, November 5, 2026, The Star reported that police in the Malaysian state of Melaka had dismantled an online scam syndicate that ran romance fraud and a fictitious cryptocurrency exchange, arresting 13 foreign nationals.
The raid took place at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, at a house in Taman Kota Shahbandar in Melaka. Melaka Tengah district police chief Assistant Commissioner Halim Abas said the suspects comprised 11 Chinese men, one Taiwanese man and one Chinese woman, all aged between 24 and 36.
According to police, the group contacted victims from China through the Telegram, QQ and Soul messaging applications. The suspects allegedly used affectionate messages and false promises to persuade victims to transfer money into cryptocurrency trading schemes that offered high returns.
Investigators believe the members entered Malaysia by air
Investigators believe the members entered Malaysia by air between February and September last year from the Philippines, Taiwan, Laos and China. All are thought to have arrived on tourist visas and to have operated from the premises for roughly three months.
Police have not yet determined the total losses suffered by victims, and the investigation is ongoing. Officers seized 12 laptops, a desktop computer, 26 mobile phones and a router, with a combined estimated value of RM50,000.
All 13 suspects have been remanded until November 8 to assist investigators. They are being held under Section 420 of the Penal Code and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Halim urged the public to be wary of unfamiliar individuals offering sweet words and promises, and to check suspicious phone numbers or bank accounts through the Semak Mule portal. Scam victims were advised to contact the National Scam Response Centre on the 997 hotline immediately so that financial transactions can be blocked.
