MALAYSIA has recorded a total of 136,082 cases of trade-related scams and fraudulent transactions from 2023 to 2025, with more than 83,000 complaints falling under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN),
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali disclosed in Parliament on Thursday that such scams are investigated under multiple legislative frameworks depending on the nature of the offence, including the Consumer Protection Act 1999 (Act 599), Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (Act 730), Weights and Measures Act 1972 (Act 71), Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723), and Direct Sales and Anti-Pyramid Scheme Act 1993 (Act 500).
Addressing a parliamentary question from Datuk Rosol Wahid (Hulu Terengganu), Armizan explained that the complaints span a range of categories, with online fraud ranking as the most prevalent.
A total of 33,400 online fraud reports were lodged, including allegations of misleading pricing, non-receipt of purchased goods or services, receipt of items not as described, online piracy, counterfeit products, and online pyramid schemes.
“In the period from 2023 to 2025, a total of 1,136 cases were successfully prosecuted under these Acts, resulting in fines and compound penalties amounting to RM880,625.
“For example, under the Consumer Protection Act, two cases were taken to court involving Section 12 offences for misleading price representations, with total fines of RM16,500 imposed,” he stated.
Armizan urged the public to actively assist authorities by submitting complete and formal complaints through channels such as the Pintar Ez ADU KPDN platform.
“We encourage the public to be the eyes and ears of the authorities so that investigations can be initiated immediately. This ensures that consumer rights are protected and businesses remain compliant with enforced laws,” he added.
The Minister also noted ongoing improvements to Malaysia’s dispute resolution mechanisms, including the integration of a more comprehensive Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) system as an enhancement to the existing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework.
This disclosure underscores both the growing prevalence of online and trade scams in Malaysia and the government’s continued commitment to monitoring, enforcement, and consumer protection. - February 5, 2026
