Malaysia

Online love scams, false investments top list of commercial crimes this year

Statistics from January to September show that there were 47,850 cases with losses reaching RM2 billion, an increase of 93.89 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

Updated 7 months ago · Published on 14 Oct 2025 11:20AM

Online love scams, false investments top list of commercial crimes this year
In less than a year, this showed an increase of 81.6 percent compared to the same period last year. - October 14, 2025

A TOTAL 52,678 commercial crimes involving losses reaching RM3.6 billion were reported in the first nine months this year.

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said that in less than a year, this showed an increase of 81.6 percent compared to the same period last year.

He said that the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) also arrested 20,784 individuals for various criminal offences from January to September.

“Online fraud crimes including ‘love scams’ and false investments that promise profits by manipulating emotions and hopes contributed to 80 percent of the reported commercial crimes.

“Statistics from January to September show that there were 47,850 cases with losses reaching RM2 billion, an increase of 93.89 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

“The figures are not something to be proud of, but rather show the trust betrayed, dreams and lives destroyed by fraud,” he said in his speech at the police monthly gathering organised by the JSJK, today.

He said the government views commercial crime as a growing concern and the trust to combat it has been given to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) through the JSJK to lead the National Fraud Response Centre (NSRC).

He said the NSRC brings together expertise from the PDRM, the National Financial Crime Centre, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in combating online fraud, operating 24 hours a day, every day since July 7 to provide immediate assistance to fraud victims.

"Since its establishment on October 12, 2022 until September 30, NSRC has received 266,380 calls, including 159,873 calls that are considered 'genuine cases', which are those that meet the criteria for further action in tracking and blocking missing funds," he said.

He said that a total of 14,668 preventive activities through exhibitions, talks and strategic collaborations with the media were also consistently mobilized to raise awareness among the public about the threat of crime. - October 14, 2025

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