Malaysians are no strangers to scams, but despite the preventative measures, many people still fall victim to them. Case in point, authorities have recorded more than 67,735 online cases nationwide from January to November this year alone, resulting in losses exceeding RM2.7 billion.
The Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) reported that telecommunications scams remain the country’s most common online crime, with 28,698 cases. E-commerce fraud comes next, with 14,881 reported cases.
Next in line were non-existent investment schemes, with 9,296 cases and are actually the biggest contributor to financial losses. Non-existent loan scams accounted for 8,029 cases, followed by e-finance fraud with 5,853 cases and love scams with 978 cases.
According to an official police statement issued today, non-existent investment schemes recorded the highest financial losses among all categories, amounting to more than RM1.37 billion. Telecommunications crimes followed with losses of RM715.7 million, while e-finance crimes accounted for RM458.1 million. E-commerce fraud resulted in RM123.7 million in losses, non-existent loans in RM59.1 million, and love scams in RM43.7 million.
Needless to say, these numbers reflect a worrisome rise in cybercrime cases. The CCID is urging the public to act swiftly if they fall victim to such scams. Victims are urged to contact their banks immediately to stop any suspicious transactions. They are also advised to file a report with the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) via the 997 hotline and also submit a police report for further investigation.
(Source: The Star)
