Melaka: Online fraud cases in Melaka continue to show a worrying trend after 1,976 cases were recorded, with losses of more than RM65.9 million for the period from Jan 1 to yesterday compared to RM72 million in losses recorded throughout last year. State Deputy Exco for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Communications Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem said during the same period, a total of 1,229 arrests were made involving 740 charges.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the increase in cases is very worrying, considering that this year has not run out, aside from showing a significant change in the profile of victims, which now also targets professionals. If previously most victims were housewives and civil servants, now statistics show that those working as doctors, bank officers, managers, lawyers, and teachers are also not spared from becoming victims of fraud.
Earlier, Mohd Noor Helmy officiated the SWM Kasih Back-to-School Programme and presented school supplies to 50 students in the Duyong State Legislative Assembly constituency. Elaborating further, he said the scams involve various modus operandi, including investment fraud, love scams, free gift offers, and lucky draws, which ultimately led victims to incur huge losses.
He highlighted that the technology used by fraud syndicates was now increasingly sophisticated, cunning, and interconnected, where victims caught in one scheme would be targeted with other schemes like online loans, fake lawyers, and financial recovery offers. He urged the public to be more aware and avoid making hasty decisions to evade fraudulent tactics that can result in losses.
Mohd Noor Helmy expressed concern over the involvement of children and teenagers in social media-related scams, including cases of kids as young as eight years old lured into buying goods online and using their parents' debit cards without permission. He mentioned a case involving a 17-year-old student in Melaka who lost up to RM300,000 after being deceived by a lucky draw offer.
He emphasized that technology control alone is not enough without close parental monitoring as well as the role of the family in educating children about the risks of digital scams. The government can enact laws and increase awareness, but the most important control begins at home. Parents must be alert to their children's behavior and not take their use of social media lightly.