KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — Scam calls in Malaysia skyrocketed by 82.81 per cent in 2024, highlighting an alarming rise in fraudulent activities targeting the public.
According to the Whoscall Annual Report 2024, scammers are shifting their tactics, increasingly relying on phone calls and AI-driven deception to exploit victims.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director CP Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the report that financial losses from scams surged to RM1.57 billion in 2024, up from RM1.22 billion in 2023.
“AI-driven scams, including deepfake videos of celebrities and politicians, are making it easier to deceive victims into fraudulent investments or phishing traps,” he said.
“These scams are becoming harder to detect, especially for the elderly, who are often targeted due to their financial savings.”
The most common scam calls reported involved banking fraud and fake debt collection (25.15 per cent), followed by scammers impersonating authorities or businesses (22.40 per cent).
SMS scams also remained prevalent, with 45.16 per cent linked to gambling scams and 21.47 per cent involving fraudulent investment opportunities and fake money-lending services.
Parcel delivery scams, telecom fraud, and fake payment reminders were also widespread, luring victims into revealing sensitive information.
Scammers have also been leveraging phishing tactics, with 16.56 per cent of malicious links disguised as registration pages to steal personal data, while another 16.52 per cent tricked users into downloading malware.
