THE government has raised the alarm over a significant surge in fraudulent domestic worker recruitment cases, with Parliament told today that 30 incidents involving unlicensed “maid scammers” have been recorded between January 2023 and October this year, resulting in losses totalling RM260,972.
Deputy Human Resources Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, said the numbers reflected a troubling upward trend: 11 cases were reported in 2023, four in 2024, and a sharp rise to 15 cases so far this year.
“The increase in fraudulent domestic worker recruitment is driven by syndicates becoming increasingly aggressive, using fake advertisements and online offers,” he told the Dewan Rakyat during the oral question session.
He added that enforcement agencies had taken 13 prosecutions against private employment agencies (APS) over the same period under various provisions of the Private Employment Agencies Act 1981, including Section 7 for unlicensed recruitment, Section 9 for failure to comply with licensing conditions, and Section 13D for failure to produce identification documents.
The courts have imposed fines amounting to RM205,000 to date.
Abdul Rahman was responding to Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (PN–Paya Besar), who had queried the number of maid-scam cases recorded over the past three years and pressed for details on firm measures to curb such fraud, protect victims and ensure that only licensed agencies operate.
The deputy minister emphasised that only licensed APS are authorised to recruit domestic workers under the Act.
“Therefore, when individuals or agencies operate without a licence, they may be fined up to RM200,000, imprisoned for a maximum of three years, or both,” he said.
Addressing concerns about the rise of online complaints and social media reports involving “maid scammers,” he urged victims to lodge group reports through the Single ID system.
“This platform is intended to prevent third-party interference and ensure that all transactions are recorded with the Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department for monitoring,” he said.
Responding to a supplementary question from Dr Halimah Ali (PN–Kapar) regarding fears that some domestic workers themselves may be exploited as intermediaries in fraud networks, Abdul Rahman said the government has intensified cross-agency cooperation with the Home Ministry, the Royal Malaysia Police and the Immigration Department.
These efforts include integrated operations to detect the involvement of domestic workers in cross-border financial or digital transactions.
“KESUMA will continue its ongoing monitoring of agencies, maintain strict enforcement and enhance awareness campaigns to prevent the exploitation of domestic workers and ensure that only legitimate agencies operate in the country,” he said. - November 24, 2025
