PERAK TENGAH: The police have recorded a total of 61 cases involving higher education students falling victims to online scams in the first quarter of this year.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said between January and April, the recorded cases saw losses amounting to about RM303,372.
Comm Noor Hisam said students often fall victims to phone scams, job scams and fake National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) offers.
“It also involves e-financial fraud such as phishing, as well as e-commerce scams, investment scams, love scams, non-existent loans and room or housing rental scams,” he told reporters after launching the Current Trends of Commercial Crimes Module at Universiti Teknologi Petronas here on Tuesday (May 5).
“Students are among the most targeted victims. Everyone is vulnerable and can be cheated, regardless of their education level,” he said.
"Scamners don’t discriminate from the lowest to the highest social status as there were even incidents where professors and labourers were cheated," he added.
Separately, on the incident where a police officer was recorded to be taking money from a man as shown in a viral video recently, Comm Noor Hisam said the internal investigation into the matter had been completed.
“We have submitted the findings to Bukit Aman for further action as there are several elements that need to be reviewed.
“We are awaiting further instructions from Bukit Aman, particularly in relation to possible breaches of disciplinary procedures and standard operating procedures,” he said.
