According to the PDRM’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), e-commerce crimes are on the rise. In a statement posted to its official Facebook page, CCID revealed that 12,297 cases were recorded from January to October this year, marking a 97% rise compared to last year.
Moreover, the surge in cases is linked to losses of up to RM110.3 million. The statement went on to note that this is a 105% increase from the previous year. The e-commerce crimes in question, as defined in the post, include fraud in online transactions. In these instances, criminals employ various methods to deceive their victims.
As such, CCID has highlighted some of the signs of e-commerce fraud. These include tactics like offering goods at extremely low prices, as well as refusing to provide clear business information. Another characteristic is the use of personal accounts for payment.
Beyond that, malicious actors often use fake reviews and pressure their victims to make purchases quickly. Websites with weak security features are also commonly used. Of course, the victims end up not receiving the goods they paid for.
To avoid falling for such scams, police advised the public to be wary of suspicious sellers, particularly those who pressure buyers. Aside from that, online shoppers should be cautious and avoid trusting offers that seem too good to be true, and ensure transactions are made via official e-commerce platforms. Finally, the public can also access the Semak Mule database to verify the sellers’ backgrounds.
(Source: CCID via Facebook)
