Judiciary Police (PJ) Director Sit Chong Meng told reporters yesterday that in the first nine months of this year, 84 cases of telecommunications fraud involving about 35.7 million patacas were recorded, while in terms of online scams, such as internet dating scams, the police investigated 62 cases involving 7.9 million patacas.
Sit pointed out that telecommunications fraud cases have increased “significantly” in recent years, adding that the Judiciary Police will continue to conduct “multiple measures” to combat crimes in response to the situation, especially on the front of fraud prevention.
Sit made the remarks after the kick-off ceremony of the “anti-fraud elf” mascot, and an introductory briefing on crime prevention measures concerning money transfers to scammers’ bank accounts via online banking or conventional bank counter services, at Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) in Zape.
Sit noted that fraud cases generally involve cross-border criminal gangs, including countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and South America, so it’s difficult for the Judiciary Police to tackle them, adding that the investigations are “quite arduous”. Therefore, Sit said, local police are drawing on their counterparts’ experience in other countries and regions to protect residents’ property.
Based on the intelligence provided by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), and mainland police, the Judiciary Police have been able to discover details of a number of fraud syndicates’ bank accounts, which “basically” confirmed the assumption that they were foreign bank accounts, Sit said. He added that the bank account details have been submitted to local banks.
Consequently, if a bank discovers that its customer has deposited money into scammers’ bank accounts, the bank staff member will warn the customer while informing the Judiciary Police, Sit pointed out, noting that over the past two years bank staff members have stopped transfer payments of 11 million patacas to fraudsters’ bank accounts.
Moreover, Sit noted that the Judiciary Police have recently received 15 reports from residents about Southeast Asian casino job scam offers introduced by friends, relatives or colleagues, adding that no more local residents are known to have travelled to Southeast Asian countries in response to fraudulent job offers.
Sit pointed out that the Judiciary Police have confirmed that a local man who was enticed to “work” in a Southeast Asian country in July, has meanwhile safely returned to Macau. Sit added that the Judiciary Police are still following up this particular case, the outcome of which will be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, in response to the increasing number of internet and telecommunications fraud cases in recent years, the Judiciary Police have launched the “anti-fraud elf” mascot to further enhance public awareness of fraud cases, while strengthening the anti-fraud work by the Judiciary Police, according to Sit.
Judiciary Police (PJ) Director Sit Chong Meng talks to reporters after yesterday’s kick-off ceremony of their “anti-fraud elf” mascot, and a briefing on crime prevention measures concerning money transfers to scammers’ bank accounts via online banking or conventional bank counter services, at Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) in Zape. – Photo: Yuki Lei
