Filipino woman detained in Malaysia over ‘e-love scam’

JOHOR BARU, Malaysia — A series of raids has put an end to an e-love scam, also known as the “African scam.”

Two Malaysians and eight foreigners – seven Nigerian men, a Filipino woman and two local women in their 20s and 40s – were detained.

Police seized, among others, mobile phones, bank-in slips, SIM cards, modems and laptops from the 10 who were picked up in Malacca and Selangor over the past few days.

They were believed to be linked to several “African scams” involving victims losing huge sums in Johor, Seremban, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Kluang OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Laham confirmed the arrests. The suspects have been handed over to the Seremban police.

“African scam” or love scam involves fraudsters who are mainly from Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast.

These culprits use fake pictures of good-looking Europeans on social media, especially Facebook, to lure their victims.

They prey on lonely women online and try to win them over by sending gifts, including parcels, jewellery, watches and cash.

In a case in Simpang Renggam, a woman in her 40s befriended an “American” last year.

Sources said the suspect told her that he wanted to send her some expensive gifts to express his love.

“The victim then started getting calls from some people claiming to be Customs officers and even courier company staff asking for payments to release the gifts.

“The woman paid a total of RM4,000 but never got the gifts,” one source said, adding that she then realized that she was duped and lodged a report.

A team of officers from the Kluang district police headquarters tracked down the scammers and started picking up the suspects.