Syndicate Impersonating Prison Officers To Defraud Inmates' Families – Prisons Dept

KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Bernama) -- The Prisons Department has uncovered a syndicate impersonating prison officers to solicit money from inmates' families and relatives for purchasing so-called special meals.

The scam was detected after the department received several complaints from victims who had received suspicious text messages via WhatsApp from various mobile phone numbers.

"The syndicate reportedly poses as prison officers, using fake aliases such as Sergeant Haziq, Sergeant Akmal, Sergeant Nazri, Sergeant Zul, Sergeant Sani, Sergeant Zam and other fabricated names to deceive family members or relatives of inmates.

"They also use multiple mule bank accounts to receive money transactions from their victims," the department said in a statement today.

The affected families have lodged police reports, and the Prisons Department will cooperate with the police in their investigation, it added.

The department has advised families and relatives not to transfer money to unknown individuals or bank accounts and to report any suspicious messages to the nearest police station, as well as notify the department for further action.

It also stated that it would not compromise on any negligence or procedural lapses in duty and that strict action would be taken against those responsible.

"The Prisons Department is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of inmates and their families from falling victim to scams.

"The public is urged to remain vigilant and not be deceived by the syndicate’s tactics, which exploit the department’s name for personal gain," it said.

-- BERNAMA