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The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
RM1.12bil in losses to online scam in first half of 2025, says Home Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: Online scams in Malaysia have caused a staggering RM1.12bil in financial losses in just the first half of 2025 alone, says the Home Ministry. Earlier on August 5, the Digital Ministry said online scam financial losses in 2024 reached a worrying RM1.58bil, a 2.53% increase from the year prior. The Ministry said the government would further intensify its efforts to curb online scams in the country, which include strengthening the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC). This would involve the creation of new positions involving various schemes, taking into account the establishment of the 24/7 Network function under a single governance entity. 'Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also agreed for the NSRC to be placed under the direct supervision of the Home Ministry. 'It has been decided that it will be led by the police,' the ministry said in a parliamentary written reply dated Wednesday (Aug 13). The ministry was responding to a question from Yuneswaran Ramaraj (PH-Segamat) on the amount of money lost by Malaysians due to online scams and the steps being taken to address the issue. It also said that the feasibility of drafting a Cybercrime Bill is currently being studied as part of efforts to combat cybercrime in the country. The ministry added that the SemakMule portal, which enables the public to check bank account numbers, phone numbers and companies used by scammers, currently has 265,869 bank accounts, 211,265 phone numbers, and 12,724 company names recorded.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
RM1.2bil lost to online fraud this year
KUALA LUMPUR: The total financial loss from online scams in 2025 has reached RM1.2 billion as of June, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. He said several measures that have been, and are being, taken to curb online fraud, including the enactment of a new bill to combat cybercrime. "Amendments to the Penal Code have been carried out by the government to address cybercrime, particularly financial fraud involving mule accounts, with additional provisions under several sections. "The Criminal Procedure Code amendment, meanwhile, granted the police the authority to seize and freeze accounts to block financial transactions. "The government is reviewing the feasibility of enacting a Cybercrime Bill as part of efforts to combat cybercrime in the country," he said in a parliamentary written reply in response to a question from Yuneswaran Ramaraj (PH-Segamat). Saifuddin said that the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) has been strengthened and expanded into a 24-hour centre, providing end-to-end services to tackle online scams. He said that since July 2025, victims can lodge police reports directly via the 997 hotline without needing to visit a police station. "By September, the NSRC will operate permanently at Menara 2, MCMC Cyberjaya, housing multiple agencies alongside financial institutions and telecom operators. "The NSRC will be further strengthened through the creation of new positions under various schemes, taking into account the establishment of the 24/7 network function under a single governance entity to meet obligations under the Budapest Convention and the United Nations Convention," he said. To enhance the capability to tackle cyber threats, special units have been established under the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), including the NSRC, the Cyber Tactical Unit, the Digital Forensic Investigation Unit, and the Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre, he said.
