KUALA LUMPUR: Police have issued a warning about scammers posing as public prosecutors online, offering fraudulent 'legal services' to scam victims.
Federal police recently discovered that these scammers were advertising services to help victims recover money previously lost to other scammers.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the department had noticed such advertisements on Facebook recently.
The ads featured messages such as: "Are you a victim of online fraud? Don't know how to recover funds after being scammed? The prosecutor's task force helps you recover losses caused by online fraud. Contact us immediately."
"This is most definitely a trap set by scammers to further deceive victims who have already been scammed," he said.
"Based on our investigations, no deputy public prosecutor offers such services online, let alone on social media," he added when contacted today.
Ramli explained that the process of returning funds to scam victims could only be carried out by an investigating officer, strictly in accordance with the law.
"There are no shortcuts in this process, and no agent or non-governmental organisation can offer such services. Under Section 116D of the Criminal Procedure Code, only a police officer holding the rank of Sergeant or higher has the authority to freeze funds that have been fraudulently transferred to a suspect's account.
"The funds can then be returned to the victim under Sections 435 and 413 of the CPC," he said, urging the public not to fall for such offers posted online.
Ramli emphasised that such advertisements should be considered fake.
Six days ago, the Attorney General's Chambers posted a warning on Facebook about a fraudulent AGC account offering similar services, advising the public to exercise caution and not to fall for such scams.