Phishing, online scams dominate global cybercrime landscape, says Interpol

The Star20-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Online scams and phishing remain the most prevalent global cyber threats, with criminals leveraging increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive victims, said Interpol's cybercrime directorate Dr Neal Jetton.
He said most cybercrimes observed across Asia and globally stem from social engineering attacks, such as phishing, ransomware and business email compromise scams.
"Phishing-related scams are likely the most widespread cyber threat today, not just in Malaysia or the Asia Pacific, but globally.
"These often involve emails or messages that appear legitimate, whether for romantic, business, or financial opportunities," he said at a press conference after the opening of the inaugural Cyber Games 2025 on Tuesday (May 20).
Jetton, who is based in Singapore, stressed that cybercrime was both a regional and global challenge, noting that approximately 75 to 80 per cent of cyber incidents worldwide involve a human element, most commonly through phishing.
Phishing is a form of cyberattack in which criminals impersonate trusted sources via emails or messages to deceive individuals into disclosing sensitive information, such as passwords, financial credentials, or personal data.
The urgency of the issue is evident in Malaysia's statistics, with ransomware incidents rising by a staggering 78 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, reflecting the increasing complexity and scale of cyber threats locally.
When asked about Malaysia's capacity to tackle such threats, Jetton commended the Royal Malaysia Police for their dedication and proactive efforts in combating cybercrime.
"I've had several interactions with Malaysian police, and I can speak very positively about their efforts. Cybercrime in general is just very difficult,' he said.
He added that Interpol continues to work closely with Malaysia and expressed hope that this collaboration will further strengthen in future efforts to combat cybercrime.
Jetton highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) and encrypted technologies as key areas of concern, noting that law enforcement agencies often face challenges in keeping up with the fast-evolving tools employed by cybercriminals.
"My team focuses a lot on how we can keep up with these technologies, though we're not necessarily the subject matter experts in AI to help us respond effectively," he said.- Bernama

Hashtags

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

[Watch] 'You Can Be From China, I'm From London' – ‘Puan Sri' Parks In Neighbour's House, Meltdown Goes Viral

Rakyat Post

5 hours ago

Rakyat Post

[Watch] 'You Can Be From China, I'm From London' – ‘Puan Sri' Parks In Neighbour's House, Meltdown Goes Viral

Subscribe to our FREE A parking dispute in what appears to be an upscale Malaysian residential area has garnered widespread attention on social media, involving an elderly woman who identifies herself as a Puan Sri, whose husband holds the title of Datuk Seri. The incident appears to have begun when the woman had already escalated the matter to the authorities, mentioning about uneducated people and getting out of the house. She was allegedly heard speaking to a sergeant, asking when he could come to take a statement, requesting that the police check on her neighbour, and asking the neighbour to produce a wedding certificate. The connection between marital documentation and parking disputes remains unclear from the available information. She also mentioned referring the matter to Bukit Aman – Malaysia's federal police headquarters. The dispute centred around the woman allegedly parking her car on the neighbour's porch. The Diplomatic Phase (Before It All Went South) When asked to relocate the vehicle, the woman seemed to decline, saying she knew her neighbour's house. Adding another layer of complexity to the situation, she allegedly claimed she couldn't start her car properly and needed someone to come and help. However, it is unclear from the available accounts whether this was due to mechanical issues or other factors. During the exchange with her neighbour, the woman attempted to maintain a cordial tone, saying, 'Don't worry, we are good neighbours, not fighting type of neighbours.' On the other hand, she asked the neighbour to lodge a police report when she was repeatedly told to move her car, which baffled the latter. The Logic Train Derails The woman then claimed the neighbour didn't talk to her nicely, which the neighbour disputed. She then acknowledged that the neighbour had spoken politely, but expressed displeasure about 'intruders come and talk to me.' At this point, she emphasised her status: 'I got a title, my husband got a title, we are not loafers, so I can park four cars in my house.' When the neighbour suggested she park there instead, the woman responded by telling the neighbour not to take video, adding, 'You can be from China, I'm from London.' 'I Am Puan Sri!' – The Battle Cry Heard Round the Internet In what appears to be a separate encounter (evidenced by the woman wearing different clothing), the neighbour asked her not to disturb their workers. The woman responded that it didn't matter whether they were workers or not, instructing the neighbour to 'make sure you have paid the maintenance fee according to our management, please pay to be our resident here.' Despite initially expressing a preference for maintaining good neighbourly relations, when the neighbour politely stated, 'Please, you can go back to your home, this is my home,' the situation escalated dramatically. The woman became agitated about being recorded, asking why the neighbour was taking video. When told 'because you keep coming to my house,' she exploded further, shouting 'am I a convict?' and declaring 'I'm a Puan Sri and I got a title of Datuk Seri here, you know that, you don't have' while pointing at the neighbour. The neighbour calmly responded, 'This is my property,' prompting her to demand, 'Ask who you are first,' before defiantly telling the neighbour she didn't 'give a damn' if the neighbour called the police and the cops can 'come to her house.' The situation escalated beyond the immediate dispute when the woman was heard speaking to what appeared to be security personnel, asking them to verify whether her neighbour had a passport, thereby bringing citizenship documentation into what had begun as a parking disagreement. The Digital Crowd Reacts Social media users didn't hold back: 'You can be from China, I'm from London 😂' – because apparently international origins are now part of parking negotiations. One user quipped: 'She missed her medicine…….. right?' – ouch. The practical crowd chimed in too: 'If I were the homeowner, I'd just call the police and report a suspicious car parked in front of my house. Police would arrive quickly 😁' And the towing company representatives were ready for business: 'Too troublesome dealing with people like this 😂 just call TOWING to remove the car far away.. let's see how big her Tan Sri really is.' kereta sendiri parking dalam rumah orang. lepas tu, gigih melawan fakta. Puan Sri gila teruk sangat dah ni. — Ahmad Nazneen (@ahmadnazneen2) When Parking Wars Go Viral Look, we've all had parking disputes. Most of us just grumble, take a photo for evidence, and maybe passive-aggressively park a little too close next time. But when disputes escalate to involve claims about titles, international origins, and demands for documentation like wedding certificates, it enters a different realm of neighbourhood drama altogether. The incident highlights how everyday disputes can quickly escalate in today's social media landscape. It often leads to broader conversations about social dynamics, expectations of respect and authority, and the differing approaches to conflict resolution in residential communities. READ MORE : READ MORE : READ MORE : Disclaimer: This report is based on social media posts and user comments from what appears to be one side of the story. We cannot independently verify all claims made in the viral content, nor do we suggest who is at fault in this dispute. This coverage is intended to document the social media phenomenon and public reaction, not to make judgments about the individuals involved. As with all viral content, there may be additional context or perspectives not captured in the available material. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.

New Straits Times

6 hours ago

New Straits Times

NST Leader: Unpaid traffic summonses

Malaysian vehicle owners particularly resent paying traffic summonses for illegal parking, unless forced by police action. Motorists tend to view summonses in three informal categories. First, local council tickets are often ignored due to their perceived lack of enforcement power. Second, traffic police summonses have more legal weight, as non-payment can lead to arrest warrants. Still, many ignore them, especially for illegal parking. RTD summonses, however, are usually taken seriously, as they block road tax and licence renewals until the summonses are paid. Even then, the most stubborn ignore police and RTD's annual flat rate amnesty offers. RTD said that it collected only RM56 million from 374,024 summonses, far below the potential amount, which could have been double or triple that amount. This suggests that many drivers aren't deterred by blacklisting — they continue driving without insurance, road tax or licences. The police discount, valid until June 30, offers a flat RM150 rate for speeding and traffic light violations — similar to RTD's offer. Here lies the problem. Motorists' blase attitude towards these offers reflects a contempt for traffic laws and penalties. This contempt has translated into more serious traffic offences, and more tragic accidents. Since the discounts don't improve road safety, it's time to scrap them and revive tougher penalties that deter offenders. Sure, that would mean more officers and working hours to round up offenders. Police may have to return to making "house calls" on offenders but it's a necessary price to forcibly change an entrenched mindset. There is a plausible solution: integrate data sharing between the traffic police, RTD, Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and, while we are at it, the local councils. Under this integration, summonses imposed by traffic police and local councils are automatically recorded by the RTD and SPAD, which immediately blacklist drivers and vehicles with outstanding summonses. Alas, this may not happen in the near future because these agencies and their processes operate independently with little push to exchange data and information. Even when traffic police files a request to the RTD to blacklist certain offenders, the process is tedious and inefficient. Still, this logical and unified system isn't sidelined just yet: there are still efforts to combine the Automated Awareness Safety System, the Automated Enforcement System and the Kejara points demerit system. There's only one problem: this initiative had been lumbering for more than a decade and it is still lumbering.

Klang boat tragedy: Victims may not have been wearing life jackets, say cops

The Star

9 hours ago

The Star

Klang boat tragedy: Victims may not have been wearing life jackets, say cops

KLANG: All victims involved in the capsized boat incident in the waters off Tanjung Harapan here Friday (June 6) were believed not to be wearing life jackets, says Asst Comm S. Vijaya Rao. The North Klang OCPD said initial investigations also revealed that the boat, which was being test-driven, was operated by its owner at the time. He said the absence of life jackets had made the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the remaining two missing victims among the six people on board more difficult. "Those who engage in activities at sea must wear life jackets, which are very useful during emergencies like this capsized boat incident, in addition to having swimming skills," he said at a press conference at the search site in Tanjung Harapan Saturday (June 7). ACP Vijaya said the location where the boat capsized had been identified, but strong currents may have swept the two missing victims away and caused them to drown. Meanwhile, he said police had recorded statements from three individuals, including one survivor. "The actual cause of the incident has yet to be determined, and the case is being investigated under Section 280 of the Penal Code," he said. In the incident at about 5pm, three individuals including a child died, one survived (Alvin Chang Yan Qin, 17), while a married couple remains missing. The deceased victims were Darren Gan, 3; Cheu Son Hin, 50; and Fong Yong Sen, 29, while those still missing have been identified as Gan Hon Tat, 32, and his wife Careen Man, 29, both from Klang Utama. - Bernama