No shortage of victims despite wide coverage

GEORGE TOWN: Although Macau scams have been widely reported in the media, public awareness remains low with no shortage of victims, says criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy.

He noted although there was no shortage of information on how not to fall prey to scammers people still seemed unaware.

“Macau scams are widely reported in the press and shared on social media, but awareness is low and people are not knowledgeable about how Macau scams operate,” he said.

He noted the victims are from all walks of life, including professionals, who do not verify the information the scammers tell them.

The modus operandi of Macau scammers is usually making threatening phone calls posing as police officers, tax agents, central bank workers and others, claiming that the person they called is implicated in a criminal offence and being investigated.

Their motive is to scare people into believing that they are in trouble – unless they transfer sums of cash into certain bank accounts.

The term “Macau scam” was coined because it is believed that it originated from Macau and that the fraudulent behaviour is common there.

Sundramoorthy said there should also be a central bank operating system which can stop transactions or address issues, adding that banks also play an important role in facilitating the investigation process as in normal cheating cases, police cannot contact the bank and freeze the account immediately.

He also urged policymakers to allocate personnel and funding to the Commercial Crime Investigation Department to ensure it has enough resources to operate.

Monash University Malaysia’s psychology department senior lecturer Dr Rachel Ting Sing Kiat noted victims of financial scams don’t just lose their money, they also lose their mental health.

The victims will certainly experience some acute stress disorder after such incidents, she said, adding that with no early intervention and support, the victims may develop post-traumatic symptoms.

“Some common emotional reactions would be shock, disbelief, anger, loss of control, guilt and grief. If these emotions are not accepted and contained, the victims will most likely end up in depression,” she said.

“Some victims may even become suicidal if they suffer major losses (especially if it is related to their families’ savings). They might feel shame and blamed.

“It is very important for the family to provide support during the crisis,” she added.

She said victims should be provided with accurate information such as where to file a report, how to communicate with their bank, how to stop the chain of scam and how to expose the scammer as well.

“It will take some time to recover and restore that sense of balance and trust towards others,” she said.

“Since most scam victims are from vulnerable groups like seniors, students, disabled individuals, some social welfare could be sought to compensate their losses, if possible,” she added.