BALIK PULAU, Oct 15 — Police arrested three women and two men yesterday on suspicion of being mule account holders to several fraud syndicates, resulting in victims losing RM180,962 in separate incidents.

Southwest District Police chief Supt Kamarul Rizal Jenal said the suspects, including an elderly woman and all aged between 31 and 63, were arrested based on public tip-off and intelligence conducted by the police.

In the first case, the Southwest District Commercial Crime Investigation Division arrested a 34-year-old woman in Bayan Lepas on suspicion of being a mule account holder for a syndicate running a non-existent online forex investment scheme.

"Upon interrogation, it was found that a total of RM145,000 was transferred via several online transactions into different bank accounts, including that of the 34-year-old woman,” he said when contacted today.

In another case, he said police arrested two men aged 31 and 36 for allegedly being mule account holders to a syndicate offering online part-time jobs through the Facebook application, involving a victim in Bayan Lepas.

Kamarul Rizal said the victim was offered a part-time job with a lucrative salary but had to make a payment first, with the victim then making several cash transactions totalling RM20,352.41 into several bank accounts.

He said that two more cases involved the arrest of two women, aged 44 and 63, for suspected involvement as mule account holders to a fraud syndicate, resulting in three victims losing between RM2,780 and RM10,000.

He said all five suspects have been remanded and the cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. — Bernama