Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Online fraud involving e-finance crimes, love scams, e-commerce, telecommunications, loans, and non-existent investments rose between 1.6% and 19.8% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the last quarter of last year, Acting Director of the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) has reported.
According to Rohaimi, the country recorded 12,110 online fraud cases with a total loss up to 573 million MYR (130 million USD).
E-commerce crime cases saw the highest increase of 19.8% with 2,535 cases, followed by telecommunications crime at 17.1%, involving 5,214 cases.
Rohaimi attributed the rise in e-commerce crime to the increase of online purchasing activities, especially during the Aidilfitri celebration.
Despite the overall rise in online fraud cases, he noted that the total losses involving e-finance crimes, love scams, e-commerce crimes, and non-existent loans had decreased between 1.8% and 24.8%. However, there was an increase in losses for telecommunications fraud and non-existent investments.
Rapid technological advancements and modern lifestyles are being exploited by criminals who create fake digital identities, websites, automated conversations (chatbots), and deepfake technology to deceive victims, the official said.
He advised the public to remain vigilant when conducting online business, conducting background checks on individuals or entities involved, and avoiding disclosing personal information arbitrarily./.
Malaysia, Thailand commit to closer ties
According to the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand ranked as Malaysia’s seventh largest trade partner globally and third within ASEAN last year, with a total trade volume reaching 25.03 billion USD.
