1,201 cyber crime cases reported

KUALA LUMPUR: Police received reports on 1,201 cyber crime cases this year up to November with losses estimated at RM72.5 million, said Kuala Lumpur police chief, Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim.

In 2017, 850 cyber crime cases were recorded with losses amounting to RM35.1 million, he added.

Mazlan said the crime of cyber scams which had become a trend now were the Macau Scam, Love Scam, Parcel Scam, non-existent loan offers and online sales of goods.

“The modus operandi of these cyber criminals is usually by communicating with the victims through the phone and social media such as Facebook, Instagram and WeChat to dupe them.

“We believe the figure will continue to rise as 2018 is not over yet,” he said at a news conference on the joint cyber crime prevention campaign with CIMB Group, at Menara CIMB, here, yesterday.

Mazlan said the Macau Scam recorded the highest number of cases at 469 this year until November with estimated losses at RM52.9 million, and 453 individuals arrested in 353 police operations conducted in the federal capital.

“I also wish to reveal that 61 per cent of the scam victims are women," he said.

On the African Scam, Mazlan said police received 223 cases involving losses amounting to RM13.4 million, with 571 individuals arrested up to November in 458 operations.