KUANTAN: Scammers have cheated Malaysians of more than RM769 million in the past three years, making it one of the most lucrative illegal business schemes around.
In 2017, 13,580 police reports were lodged, with losses amounting to more than RM214 million.
There was an increase of 15,533 cases last year, with losses totalling RM354 million.
Betweeen January and September this year, 9,225 cases were reported with losses amounting to more than RM199 million.
Bukti Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department’s Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Zakaria Ahmad told the New Straits Times that non-existent loan schemes topped the list of cases in the first nine months of this year.
“A total of 3,667 cases lodged were related to non-existent loan schemes with losses amounting to RM34,395,846.05.”
He said Macau and African scam victims suffered the most losses in the period under review, despite a low number of cases reported.
“Macau scams recorded 1,666 cases from January to September this year with losses amounting to RM81,550,612.87, followed by African scams with RM62,977,518.01 in losses from 1,164 cases.”
Zakaria said online scams were rampant with 2,637 cases recorded this year, with losses of RM19,951,859.83, while 91 cases were lodged for short messaging system scams amounting to RM1,025,294.30 in losses.
He said the figures showed that Malaysians were desperate for cash.
He added that the police had been working hard to create awareness about such scams.
“Scams can be prevented if the public know the modus operandi of the perpetrators.”
Zakaria said people must not fall prey to scammers and must be alert when they were falsely accused of a crime.
The victims must contact the police or Bank Negara Malaysia immediately for verification.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman had, on Nov 6, said in the Dewan Rakyat despite campaigns by the authorities, it ultimately boiled down to the people’s attitude.
He said the police had set up an Internet Banking Task Force Group and a Cyber Crime Technical Committee to address online cheating cases, and as well as the http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule portal to allow members of the public to check the telephone and bank account numbers used by syndicates.