PUBLISHED ONAugust 12, 2026 3:00 AMBYKhoo Yi-HangMalaysia's Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and police have managed to stop a phishing scam targeting cross-border travellers in an operation last Thursday (Aug 6), the authority said in a Facebook post on Monday (Aug 10).
A 65-year-old Malaysian man was arrested under suspicion of having a fake base transceiver station (BTS) in his vehicle, The New Straits Times reported on Tuesday (Aug 11).
The scam would have allegedly seen phishing SMSes sent out via the fake station as it emulates a legitimate mobile network base station to nearby phones, causing users to receive phishing SMSes, MCMC explained.
In particular, the man, believed to be part of a syndicate, was allegedly targeting peak traffic near the border when congestion was high to hit travellers, specifically commuters travelling between Johor Baru and Singapore, with the phishing messages.
Two mobile phones, a SIM card, a GSM module, an antenna and a vehicle were subsequently seized in the operation.
This arrest is part of ongoing operations combating fake BTS, MCMC said, with three operations in Johor and three in Genting Highlands.
Five individuals have been detained and 30 fake BTS accessories along with five vehicles have been confiscated.
MCMC also shared that it will continue to work with the police to combat the misuse of telecommunications infrastructure, The New Straits Times reported.
The communications authority also advised members of the public to report any suspicious messages to relevant authorities.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
