Over S$876m lost to scams in Malaysia in 2025, up 76% from 2024

Around RM2.77 billion (S$876.7 million) was lost to scams in Malaysia last year, up by about 76 per cent from 2024, when losses of RM1.57 billion was recorded. 

In an update to Malaysia's parliament on Wednesday (Jan 21), the Malaysia's Home Ministry (KDN) said that RM5.62 billion was lost to scams in the three-year period between 2023 and 2025.

According to KDN, losses up to RM1.2 billion was recorded in 2023, with the number rising to RM1.57 billion in 2024.

Similar to Singapore, common scam tactics deployed by scammers include e-commerce, investments, love and phone scams.

Whereas Singapore has introduced harsher punishments for scammers, including imposing mandatory caning for scammers and discretionary caning for mules involved in scams, Malaysia's Computer Crimes Act has not been amended since it was passed in 1997, reported The Star earlier this month.

The Malaysian Government is expected to introduce a new bill on cybercrime in 2026 as part of efforts to curb online offences in the country.

Bernama reported Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah as saying in October 2025 that cybercrime has been identified as one of the most critical issues affecting the effectiveness of enforcement actions against syndicates involved in such activities.

The deputy minister added that (current) penalties involved are "sometimes too lenient", hence failing to serve as an effective deterrent to offenders or organised crime syndicates.

In a statement posted to its Facebook on Jan 10, Mohideen Abdul Kader, president of the Consumer Association of Penang urged Malaysia to emulate Singapore's move to impose caning on scammers, arguing that even if the immediate impact is mainly felt by low-level money mules, the deterrent effect is significant. 

"Imposing corporal punishment on mules would discourage individuals from allowing their banking facilities to be used for any purpose other than their own. 

"It is crucial for the public to understand that a bank account is strictly for personal use, and that any abuse cannot be tolerated," he said.

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editor@asiaone.com