Online fraud: Number of cases, losses continue to rise – deputy minister

THE trend of online fraud cases in the country shows an alarming increase as the number of cases and losses recorded continues to increase every year.

Deputy Minister of Communications, Teo Nie Ching, said, based on statistics from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), a total of 35,470 online fraud cases were recorded throughout 2024, with losses reaching RM1.5 billion.

She said the number more than doubled in 2025 to 74,744 cases with losses of RM2.9 billion.

"This shows that the threat of cybercrimes is becoming more serious and requires comprehensive action.

"For the first four months of this year alone, from January to April 2026, a total of 23,367 cases of online fraud have been reported involving losses totalling RM680.3 million," she said at the Safe Internet Campaign Community Carnival in Kuching, today.

She said that the threat of the cyber world now not only involves financial losses, but also includes the dissemination of negative content such as cyberbullying, obscene content, gambling and fake news.

"The issue of cyberbullying and online harassment is also very critical when a total of 59,290 applications for action have been made by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) from 2022 to April 2026," she said.

According to her, a total of 44,676 pieces of content have been taken down by relevant platforms to protect the emotions and safety of Internet users, especially vulnerable groups and children.

"This data shows that the issue of online security and abuse of content still requires continuous attention to ensure a safer and more responsible Internet environment," she said.

Meanwhile, she informed that MCMC today officially published two new codes, namely the Child Protection Code (CPC) and the Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) under the Online Safety Act (ONSA).

"The implementation of the CPC and RMC, which will come into effect on 1 June 2026, sets clear expectations and responsibilities for service providers in dealing with harmful content, especially to protect children and vulnerable users.

"Through the enforcement of these codes, we are implementing the principle of 'safety by design', which includes age control measures as well as restrictions on digital accounts for users under the age of 16," she added. – May 22, 2026