No decline in online scam cases in Malaysia despite campaigns, says minister
Malaysia's Home Minister said scams such as job scams, parcel scams and love scams remain among the most rampant forms of cybercrime in the country.
KUALA LUMPUR - Despite numerous awareness campaigns and enforcement measures, online scam cases in Malaysia have not shown any significant decline, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution.
The Home Minister said scams such as job scams, parcel scams and love scams remain among the most rampant forms of cybercrime in the country, even though agencies including the police, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia and the private sector had undertaken continuous outreach programmes.
'Although various initiatives and awareness campaigns have been implemented through forums, social media, exhibitions and talks, the trend of online scams has not shown a noticeable reduction,' he said in a parliamentary reply on Aug 19.
Mr Saifuddin attributed the persistence of scams to four main factors - the constantly changing tactics of syndicates, low levels of digital literacy, the openness of digital platforms and challenges in cross-border enforcement.
He explained that scammers frequently use fake identities and cloned websites to deceive victims, while many people, including the young and elderly, still lack understanding of such modus operandi.
This, he said, makes them vulnerable despite repeated awareness efforts.
On enforcement, he said most of the syndicates operated from abroad, using anonymity to complicate investigations and prosecutions.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Proposals sought to develop Changi East Urban District next to T5
World Top officers hold Ukraine talks after Trump rules out sending US troops
Business New CDC job-matching drive may bring overlooked front-line roles closer to applicants: Experts
Singapore NDP 2026 to be held at National Stadium to accommodate more Singaporeans
Singapore Girl, 14, among 3 injured after minibus falls into Bukit Panjang canal
Singapore Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and ex-CFO gave input to 'play down' energy component of Tuaspring project
Business SGX wants to woo private companies to list in Singapore, says its head of research
Opinion The era of job dating? It's all about matching employers and talent
To counter this, he said the police conducted more than 10,400 prevention activities nationwide in 2024, ranging from exhibitions and community talks to meet-and-greet sessions and media engagements.
Mr Saifuddin said Malaysia had also strengthened its international cooperation by moving to ratify the Budapest Convention and the United Nations Convention on cybercrime, in addition to enhancing the role of the National Scam Response Centre, now placed under the Home Ministry and led by the police.
'Through the Frontier+ platform, NSRC is also working with foreign anti-scam centres to curb financial transactions involving international syndicates,' he said, adding that Malaysia's participation in Asean and international forums was crucial in tackling cross-border cybercrime.
At the same time, he said the Safe Internet Campaign, launched in January 2025, had so far reached 559 schools and higher learning institutions nationwide, involving more than 60,000 students.
Mr Saifuddin urged the public to remain vigilant and to verify transactions through official channels.
'Fighting online scams requires comprehensive cooperation from all parties to create a safer and more ethical cyberspace,' he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
17 minutes ago
- Straits Times
German court rules Holocaust memorial can bar people wearing keffiyeh scarves
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BERLIN - A German court said on Aug 20 that a Nazi concentration camp memorial has the right to refuse entry to those wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh scarf. The higher administrative court in the eastern state of Thuringia rejected a request from a woman to be allowed entry to the Buchenwald concentration camp memorial while wearing a keffiyeh. According to local media reports, the woman was turned away when she attempted to attend a commemorative event marking the 80th anniversary of the camp's liberation in April while wearing the scarf. She then petitioned the courts to allow her to return to the memorial for another commemorative event this week while wearing a keffiyeh. The court found that the memorial was within its rights to deny her entry, pointing to the woman's declared aim of 'sending a political message against what she saw as the (memorial's) one-sided support for the policies of the Israeli government'. 'It is unquestionable that this would endanger the sense of security of many Jews, especially at this site,' the court said. The court said the woman's right to freedom of expression was outweighed in this case by the memorial's 'interest in upholding the purpose of the institution'. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 18 persons nabbed and 82 vapes seized in HSA ops in Raffles Place and Haji Lane Singapore 3 Sengkang Green Primary pupils suspended for bullying classmate, with 1 of them caned: MOE Singapore Woman trapped between train doors: Judge rules SBS Transit '100% responsible' Singapore Religion growing in importance for Singaporeans: IPS study Life Record number of arts patrons in 2024, but overall donation dips to $45.74m Life 'Loss that's irreplaceable': Local film-makers mourn closure of Singapore indie cinema The Projector Singapore Nearly 2 years' jail, caning for man caught with at least 100 sexually explicit videos of children Singapore Grab users in Singapore shocked by fares of over $1,000 due to display glitch Germany, still trying to atone for the murder of six million Jews in the Holocaust, has been one of Israel's staunchest allies. However, in recent months it has sharpened its criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz announcing this month that no more licences would be granted for arms exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza. The Buchenwald memorial faced criticism last month when an internal document was leaked which described the keffiyeh as 'closely associated with efforts to destroy the state of Israel'. The director of the memorial, Mr Jens-Christian Wagner, said subsequently that the document contained 'mistakes' and would have to be reworked. On the question of the keffiyeh, he told the NDR broadcaster in July that it was not per se 'a forbidden symbol' at the memorial. 'However, when it is used together with other symbols... to relativise Nazi crimes, then we would ask people to remove those symbols,' he said. Around 340,000 prisoners, including Jews, Roma, homosexuals and Soviet prisoners of war, passed through Buchenwald and its annexe Mittelbau-Dora, both located near the German city of Weimar. Around 56,000 people lost their lives at Buchenwald – some executed, others starved or worked to death – and a further 20,000 died in Mittelbau-Dora, where inmates worked on the Nazis' V1 and V2 rockets. AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Springboks locked in to improved set-piece against Australia
CAPE TOWN - South Africa's video analysis of their stunning 38-22 Rugby Championship defeat to Australia would have been a hard watch, not least the set-piece where they lost five lineouts, normally such a reliable area of their game from which to launch attacks. Australia managed to disrupt the Springboks' set-piece as they won at Ellis Park on Saturday for the first time in 62 years having rallied from 22-0 down in a second-half display for the ages. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has rotated both locks from that game for the second test against Australia in Cape Town on Saturday, with Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth dropping to the bench. In come RG Snyman and Ruan Nortje, with Franco Mostert selected at flanker, but also a formidable lineout jumper. "All credit to Australia for how they handled the lineouts last week," Nortje told reporters on Wednesday. "It's not just the players who were on the field, all the locks sat together and made plans from the Sunday before the match. "So we need to ensure that we are more effective in that department this weekend. "We know we are much better than what we showed in Johannesburg, so it will be vital for us to stick to our plans this week and to go out there and be as physical as possible." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 18 persons nabbed and 82 vapes seized in HSA ops in Raffles Place and Haji Lane Singapore 3 Sengkang Green Primary pupils suspended for bullying classmate, with 1 of them caned: MOE Singapore Woman trapped between train doors: Judge rules SBS Transit '100% responsible' Singapore Religion growing in importance for Singaporeans: IPS study Life Record number of arts patrons in 2024, but overall donation dips to $45.74m Life 'Loss that's irreplaceable': Local film-makers mourn closure of Singapore indie cinema The Projector Singapore Nearly 2 years' jail, caning for man caught with at least 100 sexually explicit videos of children Singapore Grab users in Singapore shocked by fares of over $1,000 due to display glitch Nortje, 27, is very much the junior in the Springbok lock collection, but has been impressive in his seven caps to date. "It's special for me to be part of this group of locks," he said. "Many of them have been my heroes since I started playing junior rugby, so I try to learn with each opportunity I get to play and train with them." Defending champions South Africa need a victory on Saturday to rekindle their title hopes with a tough two-match tour in New Zealand coming up next month. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Lula, Macron discuss US tariffs, Mercosur-EU deal in phone call
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron leave after visiting an exhibition by Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto Friday, June 6, 2025 at the Grand Palais museum in Paris, France. Michel Euler/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo SAO PAULO/PARIS - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spoke by phone on Wednesday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and discussed U.S. tariffs and the Mercosur-European Union trade deal, Brazil's government said in a statement. Lula voiced his opposition to tariffs on Brazilian goods, and the two leaders committed to concluding negotiations on the long-awaited deal between the South American bloc and the EU by the end of the year, the statement said. Lula had previously said he was hopeful the two parties would be able to finalize the deal in the second half, when his country holds the rotating presidency of Mercosur, which also includes Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The trade pact was agreed in principle in December, but has faced pushback from countries such as France, which says the deal's terms would harm its agricultural sector. In a post on X, Macron said he reiterated to Lula his readiness for an "ambitious" EU-Mercosur agreement, "as long as it safeguards the interests of our French and European agriculture, and serves our respective economies." "We also spoke at length about economic issues, particularly tariffs, as well as our bilateral cooperation in the fields of defense and transport," Macron added. REUTERS
