Penang police cripple credit card syndicate

2010/02/09

PENANG: Penang police have detained five people, including two women, believed to be members of a credit card fraud syndicate, in an operation in Prangin Mall, here, last Thursday.
State Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief ACP Roslee Chik said the arrest of the five, aged between 20 and 30, was made possible by intelligence work since three months ago.

"The suspects were busy shopping at the mall when they were nabbed," he told a news conference here today.

He said in the 7.30pm operation, police also seized a skimming device, believed to be used to intercept credit card information, several newly purchased electrical goods, 33 fake credit cards and RM1,100.

"Their modus operandi is using the skimming device to obtain information on chipless credit cards issued by overseas banks, before the data is transferred to fake credit cards," he said, adding that the syndicate was active in Kedah and Perak.

Roslee said chipless credit cards were normally used by foreign tourists when they shopped in Malaysia.

"This is when the syndicate members steal the credit card numbers to be falsified. Each fake credit card has a credit limit of up to RM20,000.

"Our initial investigation reveals that one of the men detained was arrested seven months ago for the same offence and whose case is still being heard in court."

He said one of the women was the girlfriend of the man, who was also believed to be the syndicate's mastermind.

The suspects are being remanded until tomorrow. -- BERNAMA