RM300,000 gone in a click: Kelantan faces spike in commercial crimes
KOTA BARU: Victims of commercial crime in Kelantan have lost up to RM300,000 in a single case, with many others suffering losses ranging from RM1,000 to RM3,000, as fraud and scam cases continue to surge this year.
State police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said 601 commercial crime cases were recorded between January and May— a significant increase from 401 cases during the same period last year.
He said cyber and multimedia-related crimes saw the sharpest rise, soaring by 70 per cent from 265 cases last year to 401 this year.
"These figures are alarming. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, many people are still falling victim to these scams, with some facing devastating financial losses," he told reporters.
Mohd Yusoff said the most common scams included phone fraud, bogus job offers, and e-commerce scams.
"There were 149 phone scam cases, with victims losing more than RM4 million collectively. As for e-commerce fraud, 141 cases were recorded, resulting in RM1.22 million in losses," he said.
He said con artists frequently impersonated officials from enforcement agencies such as the police or the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), manipulating victims through fear or pressure to part with their money.
"Even two doctors were conned recently, with combined losses exceeding RM200,000. In the worst case to date, a single victim lost over RM300,000. On the lower end, some suffered losses of between RM1,000 and RM3,000."
He dismissed the notion that victims were put under a 'hypnotic spell' (pukau), stressing that the perpetrators instead use convincing, calculated tactics to deceive their targets.
"Most victims are retirees or civil servants aged 40 and above. The scammers are very professional and persuasive," he said.
Facebook was the platform most frequently exploited in e-commerce scams, accounting for 88 of the 141 cases, followed by TikTok, Telegram, and WhatsApp.
"Some of these frauds are linked to organised syndicates and call centres, while others are the work of individuals," he said.
Mohd Yusoff stressed the media's crucial role in amplifying public awareness and helping to safeguard the public from becoming victims.
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