Malaysians lost RM2.23B to scams in the last 5 years. Here are 3 steps to stay safe

According to PDRM (Polis Diraja Malaysia), cybercrime in Malaysia has risen at a concerning level. Over the last five years, 67,552 cyber scam cases were reported, leading to a total loss of RM2.23 billion.

The majority of these scams were in relation to e-commerce with 23,011 cases, followed by illegal loans with 21,008 cases and investment scams with 6,273 cases. In fact, one of the biggest scams reported recently was on a 90-year-old woman, who lost RM3.83 million to a phishing scam.

To combat this, PDRM’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), Facebook Malaysia, and other government and industry agencies teamed up to create the #TakNakScam campaign. This campaign serves to empower the public by educating them by giving them a deep understanding of how scams work and how to deal with them.

3 steps to avoid getting scammed

TakNakScam wants the public to Spot, Check and Report, in order to stay safe. By educating the public on how to do these three things, they will be safer and more comfortable to thrive in the digital space.

Spotting scams can only be done if you know how to spot them. Learning the different types of schemes used such as phishing, e-commerce, or loan scams will help you identify them before you get affected.

Checking the validity of things you find online is extremely important. By default, you should always be skeptical and if you find something suspicious, check an official fraud list.

Reporting can be done in almost every platform. Even if you get affected, your report will help other people so they don’t get scammed too.

Emphasis was placed on the importance of digital literacy. Since many Malaysians were forced to adapt to the digital world, some simply do not have the knowledge needed to navigate it safely. Facebook already has a digital literacy program, and plan to introduce modules to schools in the future.

If you receive a scam call, the police recommends that you stay calm, don’t panic, and never give out your personal information. Don’t be too generous in sharing your personal data, because the scammers will use it against you.

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