KUALA TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA - Three African men and two Malaysian women were detained two weeks ago on suspicion of running Internet-based scams which cheated seven people of more than RM146,000 (S$60,254).

State police chief Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan said the five lured their victims via the Internet with the promise of overseas jobs, prizes and even marriage offers.

He said they would befriend the victims and promise them expensive gifts, after which they would be asked to pay a certain amount in the form of "taxes" or "Customs fees" to collect them.

The victims would then deposit the money into the Malaysian women's accounts.

--New Straits Times

Meanwhile, 21 cases of scams by SMS had been reported in the past nine months.

Shukri said total losses were estimated at RM134,250.