With the 11.11 shopping season underway, mobile phones remain a frequent contact channel for digital scams and phishing attempts.
In a February 2025 survey of 1,022 Versa app users, only 4% said they felt their phones were “very safe” from scammers and hackers, while 78% reported encountering a scam in the previous two years, either personally or through someone they knew. However, take note that the findings reflect user sentiment based on survey conducted exclusively among Versa’s registered user base.
Survey: 72% of scam encounters started on mobile phones
Among respondents who encountered scams, 72% said the perpetrator first reached out via their mobile phone. Phone calls and SMS were the most common points of contact (80%), followed by messaging apps (76%).
This reflects a wider surge in online scams nationwide. Data from Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) shows online scams in Malaysia exceeded 66,000 cases in 2025, causing RM2.97 billion in losses, with another RM555.7 million lost in the first quarter of 2026 alone.
Social media and investment scams
During major retail sales, syndicates exploit heavy online traffic by deploying phishing forms, creating fake payment pages and advertising fraudulent investment schemes.
These scams frequently spread on social media through fake storefronts, impersonation accounts and sponsored ads designed to harvest user credentials or lure buyers into transferring funds.
To illustrate these risks, Versa released an educational video featuring brand ambassador Khairy Jamaluddin in a mock interview with an actor portraying a scammer.
How to avoid scams during 11.11
Scammers often weaponise countdown timers and limited-stock alerts to manufacture urgency, pressuring shoppers to rush past basic security checks.
Before checking out this sale season, keep six practical checkpoints in mind:
- Verify bank accounts: Check unfamiliar recipient details on PDRM’s official Semak Mule portal before transferring funds.
- Stay on official platforms: Complete all purchases within reputable eCommerce platforms and avoid sellers asking to move to WhatsApp or request direct bank transfers.
- Ignore artificial urgency: Do not let countdown timers rush you past basic security checks.
- Guard authentication details: Never share OTPs, TAC codes or banking login credentials.
- Verify financial platforms: Check the Securities Commission Malaysia’s Investment Checker and Investor Alert List before investing.
- Act immediately if compromised: Contact your bank’s fraud desk, call the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 and lodge a police report.
Versa CEO and Co-Founder Teoh Wei Xiang said, “It takes Malaysians months of careful budgeting to build up a RM1,000 emergency fund or holiday buffer, but a deceptive checkout link can drain it in seconds.”
He added, “Only 4% of Malaysians we surveyed feel their phones are very safe, and 11.11 adds intense artificial urgency on top of that. Our initiative with KJ was built to show that scammers win when they make people rush. This sale season, the strongest financial defence is simply taking a five-second pause to double-check where your money is actually going.”
