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The police have dismantled a sophisticated scam syndicate that used artificial intelligence (AI) to target victims in Spain from a luxury bungalow in Gelang Patah, Johor
The operation was uncovered during a raid at 11.50pm on 14 May, resulting in the arrest of 35 Chinese nationals aged between 21 and 39.
The syndicate used advanced AI technology and prepared language templates to bridge communication gaps with their European targets.
According to Iskandar Puteri district police chief ACP M Kumarasan, the suspects used AI to translate their voices from Chinese to English, while also translating Spanish voices from victims into English to facilitate fraudulent interactions
Acting as online recruitment agents, the suspects allegedly lured victims with the promise of high-paying, non-existent jobs.
Victims were allegedly pressured into purchasing increasingly expensive "job packages" to unlock higher salary tiers, eventually resulting in financial losses.
Investigations revealed that the group had been active since February 2024, operating from a six-room bungalow rented at RM18,000 a month
During the raid, police seized electronic equipment worth about RM65,000, including 35 mobile devices, 35 laptops, 10 desktop computers, and 12 network modems.
Of the 35 individuals detained, 33 admitted to acting as agents who sourced victims mainly via Telegram
They reportedly earned about RM4,000 a month, while two other suspects, who claimed to be cooks, were paid RM3,500 monthly.
All suspects tested negative for drugs and had no prior criminal record. They have been remanded until 28 May for investigation under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
