Between November 13 and December 5, the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) detained twelve individuals—eight men and four women—suspected of acting as account mules for a cybercrime syndicate.
According to the Cyber Crime Investigation Division of the RBPF, the suspects, aged between 23 and 53 years, allegedly rented out bank accounts and registered SIM cards to unknown individuals in exchange for commission payments.
The rented SIM cards were reportedly used for scam operations, while the bank accounts facilitated the diversion of funds from these scams before transferring the money to third parties. Notably, one detainee accessed the bank accounts of immediate family members to transfer money to another account.
Preliminary investigations have indicated that these activities resulted in losses exceeding BND5,000.
The suspects will face charges under various sections of the law, including Section 109 for abetment, Section 120B for criminal conspiracy, Section 414 for assisting in the concealment of stolen property, and Sections 419/420 for cheating under Penal Code Chapter 22. They are also charged under Section 5 of the Misuse of Computer Act for unauthorized access to bank accounts, as well as Section 3 of the Money Laundering Criminal Assets Recovery Order (CARO) 2012.
The RBPF urges the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to bank account rental schemes or registering SIM cards for unknown individuals. Additionally, the public is reminded to exercise caution with investment schemes or loan offers found on social media and to protect their personal information online. – James Kon
