Malaysia Faces Growing Scam Threat As Syndicates Exploit AI, Social Engineering - Expert
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia recorded over 66,000 online scam cases with losses totalling approximately RM2.97 billion last year, highlighting the escalating threat posed by sophisticated syndicates exploiting digital platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) and social engineering, according to a crime prevention expert.
Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) exco member and British Graduates Association Malaysia (BGAM) president Kamarudin Md Ali said scams have evolved from isolated incidents into a serious national challenge affecting individuals, families and businesses.
“Combating this threat requires collective responsibility, where every informed citizen becomes another line of defence against scammers,” he said in his opening remarks at the BGAM Lecture Series: Scam Awareness 2.0-Action & Prevention at HELP University here Saturday.
The lecture series was officiated by Asia e University chancellor and former Home Minister Dr Syed Hamid Albar, who also delivered the official address.
The event, organised by BGAM in collaboration with HELP University and The Hainan Professional and Graduate Team Malaysia (HPGTM), brought together government leaders, law enforcement experts, cybersecurity professionals, industry practitioners, academics and members of the public to address the growing threat of scams and cyber-enabled crimes.
Meanwhile, HELP University Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice director and professorial chair Prof Dr Akhbar Satar said combating scams required more than technological solutions, stressing the importance of integrity, critical thinking, public awareness and collective responsibility.
“Scammers don’t hack computers; they hack human psychology. Whether it is corruption or scams, the crime begins when integrity ends,” he said.
He noted that universities play a vital role in strengthening digital literacy and promoting ethical decision-making, while preparing graduates to contribute to crime prevention, policymaking and criminal justice.
In his speech, Syed Hamid, who was also the first chairman of the MCPF, said scams were no longer merely financial crimes but had become a broader challenge affecting public trust, social well-being and confidence in the nation’s digital ecosystem.
“Combating scams cannot rest on enforcement alone. It requires a whole-of-society approach. Education remains one of the most effective forms of prevention because an informed society is far more resilient than one that relies solely on enforcement after a crime has already occurred,” he said.
Meanwhile, former director of Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, in his keynote address, said Southeast Asia had become the global epicentre of commercial crime, with regional scam losses in 2025 estimated at between US$88 billion and US$114 billion.
He said organised scam compounds in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines were estimated to generate about USD40 billion annually, increasingly driven by AI-generated deepfakes, cryptocurrency laundering and trafficked labour from more than 80 countries.
He said Malaysia had strengthened its response through the Cybersecurity Act 2024, enhanced compliance with Financial Action Task Force standards and closer inter-agency coordination through the National Scam Response Centre.
“However, scam syndicates continue to evolve rapidly, requiring stronger collaboration, technological innovation and sustained public awareness,” he said.
The programme also featured a forum moderated by Malaysian Press Institute president Yong Soo Heong, with MCPF Exco Eugene Teow and consultant of the Malaysia Anti-Scam Community Organisation Rahmat Fitri Abdullah as panellists.
The discussion covered emerging scam trends, commercial crime investigations, cybersecurity, digital trust, media literacy and practical measures for individuals and organisations to protect themselves against increasingly sophisticated scams.
The organisers said the discussions reinforced the need for stronger collaboration among government agencies, law enforcement, financial institutions, technology providers, educational institutions, industry and community organisations in building a safer and more scam-resilient Malaysia.
-- BERNAMA
