BALIK PULAU, Jan 22 — The police have arrested seven men and a woman suspected of being account mules for various fraud syndicates that caused eight victims to incur losses totalling RM623,834.70 recently.

Southwest district police chief Supt Kamarul Rizal Jenal said all the local suspects, aged 19 to 51 were arrested in separate raids around Penang and Selangor yesterday.

"Among the eight detained, three cases recorded substantial losses. The first case involves the arrest of a 19-year-old youth in Pandamaran, Selangor, who acted as an account mule for a phone scam syndicate.

"The victim deceived by the fraud syndicate, reported 26 online transactions to the Bayan Baru police, resulting in a loss of RM349,000,” he told Bernama when contacted.

In the second case, a 38-year-old man detained in Bayan Baru was believed to be an account mule for a property purchase scam, causing a victim to incur losses of RM216,000.

Kamarul Rizal said in the third case, which incurred a loss of RM75,902.70, the victim fell victim to an online job scam.

In this case, the police detained a 22-year-old man in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, for acting as an account mule for the syndicate.

"Five other individuals were arrested for being account mules for separate fraud syndicates, causing victims to incur losses ranging from RM6,444 to RM19,200,” he said.

He said the police are actively pursuing the networks of these fraud syndicates and the detained individuals are remanded to help investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code related to cheating. — Bernama