SIBU: Sarawakians are urged to increase their level of vigilance against increasingly cunning and organised cyber fraud tactics, especially as the country approaches the festive season.
The call was made by president of the Sarawak National Consumer Action Council (MTPN), Lucas Lau Sieu Sing, who informed that the forms and methods of crime today are constantly changing in line with technological developments.
According to him, although the rate of physical crime has been seen to decrease in several areas, online or cybercrime has shown an alarming increase.
“The public’s enthusiasm for looking for great deals, big discounts or lucrative rewards in conjunction with the festive season is often the target of fraud syndicates to make easy profits,” he said in a statement issued here on Thursday (Jan 22).
Lau also referred to public data up to the end of 2025 which showed that losses due to online fraud in Malaysia had jumped drastically, with the number of cases reaching tens of thousands and the accumulated loss value exceeding RM2.7 billion.
He stressed that the figures were not just statistics, but rather reflected the real threat to the people’s financial security.
“Most cases show that once money has changed hands, there is almost nothing that can be done to get it back. Therefore, the public needs to become more aware and agile consumers before they get caught,” he said.
He also explained that the impact of cyber fraud does not only involve individual losses, but also has a major impact on the legitimate business ecosystem.
Lau said that the increase in scam cases can erode consumer trust in digital transactions, thus affecting local merchants who conduct honest business, especially small and medium enterprises that rely on e-commerce platforms.
“Consumers’ fear of shopping online due to experiences of being scammed can cripple local economic growth,” he said, stressing that combating scams is important to maintain market integrity and the reputation of transparent merchants.
As a safety measure, he stressed the importance of taking swift action if someone realises they have been a victim of fraud.
The public is advised to immediately contact their respective banks via the 24-hour helpline or report the incident to the National Fraud Response Centre (NSRC) via 997.
“Early reporting is critical to enable authorities to block the outflow of victims’ money from the banking system,” he explained.
In addition, the public is encouraged to check suspicious phone numbers or bank accounts via the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) SemakMule portal before making any transactions.
In this regard, Lau stressed that his party is always ready to work with authorities and enforcement agencies to organise more awareness campaigns throughout the state.
He also stated the readiness of MTPN Sarawak to support and participate in any community programme aimed at educating the public on consumerism and consumer rights.
Lau also advised the public to always practise the principle of “investigate before believing” and never disclose banking information to third parties.
“I call on the people of Sarawak to unite in increasing financial and digital literacy to avoid becoming victims of the cunning plans of irresponsible cybercriminals,” he added.
