KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded 67,735 online crime cases between January and November this year, resulting in losses exceeding RM2.7 billion, according to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
Data from Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) shows that telecommunications scams were the most common, with 28,698 cases, followed by e-commerce fraud with 14,881 cases.
Non-existent investment schemes were a major contributor to financial losses, with 9,296 cases, while other reported categories included non-existent loan scams (8,029 cases), e-finance fraud (5,853 cases) and love scams (978 cases).
In terms of total losses, investment scams caused the highest damage, exceeding RM1.37 billion.
Telecommunications scams resulted in losses of RM715.7 million, followed by e-finance (RM458.1 million), e-commerce (RM123.7 million), non-existent loans (RM59.1 million) and love scams (RM43.7 million).
Police said the rising trend is alarming and urged victims to take immediate action by contacting their banks to block fraudulent transactions.
Members of the public are also advised to report incidents to the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) via the 997 hotline, in addition to lodging a police report. Source: BERNAMA.
🔍 HackWarn.com Analysis
1. Investment scams are the most damaging
With losses exceeding RM1.37 billion, fake investment platforms remain the biggest threat, driven by aggressive social media ads and misleading returns.
2. Telecom scams dominate in volume
Almost 29,000 cases show that victims continue to fall for spoofed calls, fake officials, and WhatsApp impersonations.
3. Rising digital dependency fuels fraud growth
More Malaysians are transacting online, making them increasingly vulnerable to e-finance and e-commerce scams.
4. Immediate victim response is critical
Delays reduce recovery chances. HackWarn urges victims to:
- Call their bank immediately
- Contact NSRC at 997
- File a police report without hesitation
Swift action can prevent further loss and help authorities trace syndicates.
