Cyber love scam targets Malaysians

A CYBER syndicate based in Indonesia has been cheating local men who dream of having a relationship with actresses from the neighbouring country, reported Harian Metro.

Sources told the paper that the syndicate, which has been active for two months, operated like groups in Africa and the Philippines.

The difference was that its members used Bahasa Indonesia and pretended to be “cewek (attractive young women)” or university students in Bandung.

“They use false identities to get to know Malaysian men via social sites such as Facebook, Tagged and WeChat.

“Pictures of them in various poses will be sent to capture the hearts of their victims in a long-distance relationship,” said the sources.

The syndicate members would also claim they were part-time actresses and had worked in popular dramas.

Later, the victims would be fed with tales of the women having financial difficulties in paying course fees, falling sick or family problems which needed urgent cash.

The gullible ones would bank in the money into their accounts.

So far, police said 10 men have fallen for the scam, involving a sum of RM50,000.

The daily also interviewed two victims who shared their experience of being duped in the love scam.

Compiled by ALLISON LAI, SIMON KHOO and R. ARAVINTHAN