Police cripple syndicate running scam involving Touch 'n Go

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have crippled a syndicate running a scam involving Touch 'n Go, which has cost the company some RM2.2 million in losses, with the arrest of 11 men and three women in Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Johor.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the 14 individuals, all locals and including the two masterminds, were detained in raids carried out last Friday and Saturday.
The suspects, aged between 30 and 56 years old, had been running the scam from February to September.
Among the items confiscated in the raids were 466 Touch 'n Go cards with varying amounts of illegally reloaded credit, Touch 'n Go machines for reloading the cards, nine cars worth RM475,400 and 18 bank accounts totaling RM195,000 which have been frozen.
Speaking at a press conference here, Acryl said that this was a cunning syndicate as "they will buy the original Touch 'n Go cards and use illegal means to reload them with amounts of up to RM1,500".
He said that once illegally reloaded with the credit, they could use the cards to buy items in supermarkets, mini-marts and restaurants where Touch 'n Go could be used as a method of payment.
"They buy items like cigarettes, watches and other valuables to be sold to third parties for cash," he added.
These cards are also used to pay toll and parking charges.
The case is being investigated under the Penal Code, the Cyber Crimes Act and the Anti- Money Laundering Act.