KUCHING: Prevention and public awareness remain the strongest defence against increasingly sophisticated scams targeting communities through technology, impersonation, urgency and fear.
Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap said scam prevention required continuous education and cooperation among authorities, consumer organisations, community leaders and the public.
“The best time to stop a scam is before the money is transferred. Once a victim has been deceived, recovering the money can be extremely difficult. That is why awareness and precaution are our first line of defence,” he said in a press statement on Tuesday (Aug 11).
He said scammers were no longer limited to obvious fraud but increasingly used convincing identities, fake offers, investment schemes, calls, messages and online platforms to gain victims’ trust.
Yap said nobody should assume they were immune from scams, regardless of age, education or background, as criminals continued exploiting vulnerabilities to deceive unsuspecting victims.
He said the fight against scams must go beyond enforcement, with prevention beginning at community level through public education, practical awareness programmes and stronger collaboration among relevant stakeholders.
He welcomed the Anti-Scammer Awareness & Health Benefit Registration Programme as a meaningful community initiative combining scam awareness, consumer protection and access to relevant assistance and benefits.
“We should not wait until someone loses their life savings before we ask what went wrong. We must educate people before they become victims.”
Yap said every individual who learned to recognise scams could potentially prevent victimisation, while families discussing scam prevention could provide another layer of protection.
He also urged the public to promptly report suspected scams and adopt the simple rule of “STOP. THINK. VERIFY.” whenever confronted with suspicious calls, messages or offers.
He thanked Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah and the Sarawak police for supporting public safety efforts and providing speakers for the programme.
“A strong community is not one where scams never happen. It is one where people are informed, alert and prepared to protect themselves and one another. Prevention is better than cure and awareness is our strongest protection.”
The programme is jointly organised by Yayasan Pengguna Negara Malaysia, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Pengguna Sarawak and Yap’s service centre.
