THE Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry has confirmed that the name of its Secretary-General, Datuk Hairil Yahri Yaacob, has been misused in a fraudulent investment scheme operating via the Telegram application.
In a statement, the ministry said the scheme employs a channel named “Ministry of International Trade and Industry” to deceive social media users by creating the false impression that it is officially linked to the ministry.
“MITI strongly denies any involvement by any ministry officer in the scheme or in any investment scheme on any platform,” the ministry said in a post on social media platform X today.
The ministry urged social media users to remain vigilant against suspicious investment offers, to verify information through official channels and to refrain from sharing personal details with unknown parties.
“Any complaints may be lodged with the authorities or through MITI’s official channels,” it added. -February 7, 2026
