PETALING JAYA: The public has been urged to exercise caution amid a surge in scam calls that are increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect, say authorities and experts.
Cybersecurity expert Emeritus Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Ridza Wahiddin said the most effective way to protect oneself from scams is to refrain from answering calls from unknown numbers or strangers.
“If you do pick up by mistake, remain silent and wait for the caller to speak, then end the call immediately,” he said when contacted yesterday.
On Oct 24, the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) disclosed that it had received 122,603 calls, including fraud complaints and public advisory services, from October 2022 to August 2024.
The Finance Ministry reported that these complaints involved losses of RM371mil.
Bank Negara had also implemented a “kill switch” mechanism that allows users to freeze their accounts immediately if suspicious activity is detected.
Mohamed Ridza urged the relevant authorities to take stronger measures to deal with such issues.
“The authorities should intensify public awareness efforts, particularly among vulnerable groups, to ensure they remain alert to both existing and emerging scam tactics,” he said.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching urged the public to be more cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers, including calls claiming to be from family members, acquaintances or officers from any agency.
“Verify the information through official channels or alternative communication methods before believing anything conveyed by the caller,” she said.
She added that the public should avoid giving out personal or banking information or performing voice-based verification, especially if the caller displays signs of urgency or uses threats.
“Immediately end the call if you have any doubts about the caller’s identity.
“The public may also enable call-blocking settings, either block call or reject list, or use call-blocking software to reduce the risk of suspicious calls,” she said.
Reports can be lodged through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s official complaint channel, the police or NSRC at 997 for cases involving financial fraud.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa advised the public not to entertain any suspicious calls.
“We heard of cases where a victim received multiple calls with people posing as officers from government agencies, including the police. There are also victims who received calls with no one speaking on the other line.
“While the best way is to not entertain such calls, the other useful way is to call the respective agency’s legitimate hotline to confirm the situation.
“Report such numbers to the SemakMule portal or contact the NSRC 997 hotline as soon as possible,” he said when contacted.
The public should take note that police investigations are never conducted over the phone.
Comm Rusdi said: “At most, the investigating officer will call to set up an appointment at the police headquarters or station.
“We never conduct investigations over the phone, let alone instruct the victim to transfer funds to another account.”
Cybersecurity specialist Fong Choong Fook said in the event of receiving a suspicious call and there is a delay in response from the other end, immediately end the call.
“If the caller claims to be from a government agency or the bank, but is calling from a private mobile number, it is very likely that it is a scam.
“If it involves important government business, they will likely contact you through proper channels such as using an official letter,” he said.
