KUCHING: A special committee will be set up by the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) to tackle issues related to Macau scams.
Based on statistics released by the police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), there were 4,500 scam cases using telephone calls and short message services (SMS) with a total loss of RM113.11 million in 2017.
As for the six months of this year, the department received 5,069 reports on cyber crimes involving RM250 million lost to scammers.
In addition to that, 1,973 individuals were arrested for their involvement in cyber scams within the same period this year.
MCPF senior vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye explained that the Cyber Crime Committee will be headed by International Islamic University Professor Dr Mohamad Fauzan and its members include those who have the knowledge and skills in information and communication technology.
“We realise that every day Malaysians have become victims of Macau scams, including government officials and housewives.
“Students and highly-educated people were also not spared, although most of their victims are pensioners who keep their money in banks,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.
Lee added that MCPF was concerned about the ability of Macau scam syndicates to evolve using the latest tactics and devices to make their deception more convincing.
“I myself have lodged a police report when my name was used by a syndicate to raise money from the top official of an organisation that I’m the chairman of. The syndicate contacted the victim using a fake email that looked like mine,” he stated.
He was then informed that some of the syndicates now have professional trainers or coaches who keep on improving their tactics so that it would be very difficult to detect or uncover their scams.
“This proves how professional they are as they are always a few steps ahead of the enforcement agencies,” he mentioned.
Lee noted that the MCPF Cyber Crime Committee would get information and seek cooperation from the police as well as other relevant agencies including CyberSecurity Malaysia to find ways to address the problem more effectively.
“The committee would also plan various programmes and activities to help raise awareness on Macau scams as well as other scams.
“The public must be cautious at all times and always share information with family members and friends when contacted by the syndicate, apart from lodging a police report,” he said.
Bukit Aman CCID director Datuk Seri Mohd Zakaria Ahmad stated that since 2015, the department recorded about RM2 billion in losses suffered by victims of commercial crimes including Macau scams and non-existent loan packages or investment schemes.
Thus, the establishment of a special committee is necessary to educate and spread awareness to the public.
