SOCIAL media users have been urged to verify online donation appeals before making payments, amid growing concerns that scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to fabricate distressing images and exploit public sympathy.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said fraudsters were misusing AI technology to create emotionally manipulative content, while some had also used individuals’ names and photographs without permission.
"Do not allow irresponsible parties to exploit our soft spot or compassion," she told reporters after a working visit to SJKT Ladang Kulai Besar in Kulai today.
Her warning follows the circulation of social media posts featuring AI-generated images of distressed individuals alongside payment QR codes, in what appeared to be fraudulent fundraising campaigns.
Teo said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had received 174,099 requests to remove scam-related posts from social media platforms as of Oct 15, compared with 102,113 in 2023.
Platforms removed 170,633 of the reported posts, representing a compliance rate of about 98 per cent.
She said MCMC would act on complaints and seek the removal of fraudulent material, while urging individuals whose identities had been misused to lodge police reports.
In a separate announcement, Teo said RM150,000 had been allocated through the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) for interactive smartboards at four Tamil primary schools in the Kulai district.
She also inspected the ongoing RM4.3 million construction of a new three-storey classroom block at SJKT Kulai Besar, which is scheduled for completion by June next year. - November 2, 2026
