Fewer than half of scam victims lodge reports, survey finds

KUALA LUMPUR: Less than 50% of scam victims in the country seek help from the authorities, with a silent minority taking no action, a survey has found.

According to the survey Scams in Malaysia, conducted by Ipsos Malaysia on a sample size of 1,000 people, only 48% of 657 respondents who fell victim to a scam with financial loss or almost fell victim to a scam but realised it before any loss occurred, reported it to the authorities. However, 12% did not take any action.

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A total of 39% said they contacted banks, 36% sought help from friends and family, 25% posted about it on social media, 23% complained to consumer protection agencies, and 10% sought legal consultation.

Ipsos Malaysia country service line leader (Creative Excellence) Kuan Sawu Fang said in a statement Tuesday (Dec 19) that a proactive and multifaceted approach is essential in tackling scams, which exploit the digital realm.

This signals a shift in criminal tactics that jeopardises economic well-being, she added.

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"While the role of law enforcement is critical, empowering the public with education and advanced digital safeguards is equally important.

"The government's decision to increase funding for the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) is a promising step toward proactive measures.

"As we advocate for change, we hope to see the government harness these insights and take decisive action to combat scams.

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"By doing so, we can ensure the security and stability of all Malaysians, paving the way for a future where our community is resilient against such threats,” she said.

The survey also discovered that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) dominates scam reporting with 62%.

This was followed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (26%), CyberSecurity Malaysia (24%) and Bank Negara (20%).

An alarming three-quarters of the population was targeted, with an upsurge in the last quarter highlighting widespread vulnerability as 76% of 1,000 respondents encountered scams.

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A total of 51% of respondents reported that they encountered scams in the past three months, 26% in the past month and 14% in the past week.

The survey also revealed that phone calls and WhatsApp messages are the most common channels as the increase in digital connectivity paves the way for scammers to exploit social media and communications applications.

According to the survey, 56% of the respondents encountered scammers via phone calls, 54% through WhatsApp, 31% through Facebook, 30% through Telegram and 29% through SMS. – Bernama