RM186M LOST TO ONLINE SCAMS
Home Ministry tackling issue by boosting enforcement, says Azis
ONLINE scammers raked in RM186,027,122.72 from their victims in the first eight months of this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman said the amount involved 3,533 cases, recorded between January and August.
He said the number of online scams recorded last year stood at 4,956 cases, involving a total loss of RM224,653,895.18.
Azis said this in reply to Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh (Pakatan HarapanSabak Bernam) who asked about the number of online fraud cases, number of victims, accrued losses for this year and the government’s measures to curb the scams.
“From the total losses reported this year, RM79,483,843.43 was attributed to Macau scams involving 1,612 cases,” he said.
Azis said to prevent online scams from continuing, efforts had been undertaken by the police to curb the syndicates.
He said this included boosting law enforcement operations, arresting the culprits, and subsequently, prosecuting those involved in fraud.
“The police have developed a web portal to enable the public to check the telephone numbers of the syndicates and bank accounts used by them.
“This can be done through http://ccid.rmp.gov.my portal /semakmule,” he said.
Azis said the police had established the “Cyber Crime Alert Royal Malaysia Police” Facebook account to warn the public of any threats of cyber crime.
The account, he said, was meant to provide a boost for awareness campaigns on the issue in public spaces.
A Cyber Crime Technical Committee comprising personnel from the police and the Multimedia and Communications Ministry had been set up to combat online fraud, Azis said.
He said the police had set up a task force — the Internet Banking Task Force Group — comprising police, telecommunications companies and local banks.
The task force has been in operation since 2004.