Don't Let Scammers Steal Your Hard-Earned Money

In today's digital world, scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using new tactics to trick unsuspecting victims into handing over their hard-earned money.

🔎 A Real-Life Example

Imagine a 72-year-old retiree, living a quiet life, receives a phone call. The caller claims to be from a customer service unit, informing her that her phone number has been misused in a cybercrime case. The call is then transferred to someone impersonating a police officer, who tells her she's involved in money laundering. The scammer instructs her to consolidate her savings into a single bank account, provide her banking information, and even hand over her jewelry and gold bars to a "collector." This retiree, trusting the authority of the "police officer," sadly loses over RM670,000.

⚒ Tools to Fight Back

The authorities are working hard to combat these scams. The National Fraud Portal (NFP) is a powerful new tool that helps identify and track mule accounts used to launder illicit funds. The SemakMule portal, launched in 2020, lists phone numbers, mule bank accounts, and shell companies used by scammers. These tools empower the public to verify transactions and prevent scams before they happen.

💡 What You Can Do 📋 

1️⃣ Check Before You Click
Before making any financial transaction online, use the SemakMule portal (https://lnkd.in/gBEWe7iA) to verify the information.

2️⃣ Be Wary of Suspicious Calls
Never trust anyone who calls you claiming to be from a government agency or financial institution and asks for personal or financial information.

3️⃣ Educate Yourself
Stay informed about the latest scam tactics by following official police channels and news updates.

4️⃣ Report Suspicious Activity
If you suspect a scam, report it to the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) by calling the 997 hotline.

➡ Fact: While I'm learning AI and cybersecurity and reading about cybercrimes, these scammers are learning even faster than me. 

It's a constant race against time as scammers get more sophisticated. They're always coming up with new ways to exploit vulnerabilities. 

Scammers prey on trust and fear. We need to keep learning and sharing information to protect ourselves.

#Cybersecurity #CombatScams 