Malaysia Pulse delivers breaking news, politics, business, sports and lifestyle coverage from Malaysia and Southeast Asia — trusted, timely and independent.
Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal has authorised consumer watchdog Which? to proceed with a £3 billion lawsuit against Apple, alleging the tech giant restricted cloud storage choices and overcharged millions of users.
California consumers have filed a federal lawsuit alleging major petrol station operators used artificial intelligence algorithms to inflate fuel prices illegally, marking an early test of state anti-pricing legislation.
Five individuals have been arrested in connection with a scratch-and-win lottery fraud operation that victimised two elderly women across Perak, with losses totalling RM77,000 in valuables and cash.
Beijing authorities arrested 30+ people in a sprawling health centre fraud scheme that defrauded over 100 elderly residents of US$1.5 million by adding soy sauce to cleansing liquids to fabricate health concerns.
Malaysia's Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living has dismantled a counterfeit goods operation in Johor Bahru, confiscating RM600,000 worth of fake branded items across three premises and detaining four individuals involved in the illegal trade.
Italian families are pursuing a groundbreaking collective lawsuit against Meta and TikTok, alleging that recommendation algorithms deliberately expose teenagers to harmful content. The case reflects growing European pressure on digital platforms to protect young users.
Japan's Fair Trade Commission has raided six major ice cream manufacturers on suspicion of price-fixing collusion. The firms allegedly coordinated price hikes via email and meetings since around 2022, potentially exploiting inflation.
The EU declined to legally require video game publishers to maintain discontinued titles, disappointing millions of players. Voluntary guidelines and a code of conduct are proposed instead.
Vietnam's Government Decree No. 208 requires airlines to compensate passengers for flight delays exceeding 15 minutes, with enhanced protections for longer disruptions. The regulation takes effect next month.
Amazon may face a US Federal Trade Commission lawsuit resulting in civil penalties following allegations of misleading advertisers, with a resolution expected as early as summer.
Canada's government has introduced legislation to restrict companies from using personal data to charge consumers different prices, while preserving legitimate loyalty rewards and giving individuals greater control over their information.
Australia's ACCC has filed Federal Court proceedings against burger chain Grill'd, accusing it of greenwashing by overstating how many burger sales would generate environmental donations through its Tree Day Tuesday promotion.
A comprehensive study has exposed how illegal streaming services put consumers at significant risk of malware infections, identity theft, and financial fraud. Researchers found nearly half of pirate apps contained malicious code.
Romance scams are among the world's fastest-growing online frauds, with victims losing billions annually. Criminals now use AI to create convincing fake profiles, making it harder for people to spot deception.
AI chatbots can help you understand financial concepts, but experts warn against relying on them for investment decisions or sharing sensitive data. Always verify information and consult regulated advisors.
A consumer protection organisation discovered nine out of 15 USB chargers purchased from major online marketplaces were unsafe, with some containing modelling clay and posing risks of electric shock and fire.
A survey reveals alarming gaps in Malaysian health insurance knowledge, with only 23% showing adequate understanding. Poor literacy leads to costly mistakes and delayed care.
Thailand's consumer watchdog has sued Meta, accusing Facebook of allowing scams to flourish while neglecting victim compensation. The council received over 6,164 complaints linked to online fraud from 2024 to March 2026.
Thailand's Consumer Council will sue Meta for allowing scammers to exploit Facebook through advertisements and failing to safeguard users. The watchdog recorded nearly 3,800 complaints linked to the platform between 2024 and 2026.
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The Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association has endorsed the government's newly enforced age verification requirement for social media users under 16, citing protection against cyber threats and inappropriate content exposure.
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Selangor's Ministry of Domestic Trade has issued nine notices to traders as part of Ops Kesan 6.0, a monitoring operation designed to prevent unjustified price hikes during times of global economic volatility.
China's regulators have introduced stricter guidelines for food delivery platforms, mandating that merchants have physical shopfronts and proper licensing to eliminate unlicensed 'ghost' kitchens operating without oversight.
Eleven financial institutions are prepared to provide hire purchase financing under Malaysia's amended Hire Purchase Act 2026, which launches June 1. The overhaul introduces fairer calculation methods and stronger consumer protections.
New York and New Jersey have opened an inquiry into FIFA's World Cup ticketing, focusing on complaints that supporters were given inaccurate seating details and subjected to escalating prices.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil underscores the importance of the SAFE programme in educating Malaysians about digital fraud threats and protective strategies.
Malaysia's Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry will launch Ops Kesan 6.0 on June 1 to monitor traders and prevent unreasonable price increases amid global supply chain disruptions and rising oil prices.
Australia's competition regulator has taken legal action against Amazon's Australian operations, alleging that children's backpacks sold through its marketplace failed to display required safety warnings about button batteries.
The European Commission has imposed a €200 million ($232 million) penalty on Chinese online retailer Temu for insufficient efforts to prevent illegal product sales on its platform, marking the second major enforcement action under the EU's Digital Services Act.
Top legal officials in New York and New Jersey are investigating FIFA's ticketing practices for the 2026 World Cup, alleging the organisation artificially raised prices and misled consumers about seat locations.
New York and New Jersey have opened investigations into FIFA's World Cup ticket sales, focusing on claims of deceptive seat location information and dynamic pricing.
Malaysia's Ministry of Communications has unveiled the Beli Tiket Selamat campaign, the nation's first coordinated effort to safeguard concert-goers from ticket fraud and artificial intelligence-enabled deception.
Malaysia has launched belitiketselamat.my, a portal designed to help music fans verify tickets and avoid fraudulent sellers. The initiative includes on-site help desks at venues to assist scam victims.
The government is ramping up surveillance of essential goods pricing to combat inflation concerns. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah reported that domestic food prices remained mostly stable in mid-May, with chicken at RM9.57/kg and beef down 2% to RM38.45/kg.
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations has urged the government to strengthen monitoring of essential goods prices following the expansion of the Subsidised Diesel Control System to jeeps and pick-up trucks nationwide from June 1.
The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living will enforce price caps on 12 goods in Sabah and Sarawak and 11 items in Labuan during the Kaamatan and Gawai festivals from May 27 to June 4, protecting consumers while supporting traders.
Texas has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms and WhatsApp, claiming they deceived users about the security of encrypted messages. The state seeks to bar the companies from accessing Texans' messages without consent and demands financial penalties.
Consumer groups across Europe have lodged formal complaints against Google, Meta, and TikTok, alleging the platforms neglect to adequately protect users from financial fraud and scam advertisements.
Two children's advocacy organisations have petitioned the US Federal Trade Commission to investigate Roblox, claiming the gaming platform uses deceptive marketing and design features that exploit young users, amid mounting legal pressure on the company.
Malaysia's aviation authority has issued guidance for travellers during the upcoming school holiday period, recommending they monitor airline updates and familiarise themselves with consumer protection rights as global flight disruptions continue.
An online seller from Johor Baru has been charged with cheating after allegedly defrauding a buyer of RM41,000 for a luxury Hermes handbag that did not exist. The accused entered a not guilty plea at the Magistrate's Court.