Top Crimes This Year: Romance & Investment Scams

Malaysia recorded 52,678 commercial-crime cases in the first nine months of the year, with losses reaching RM3.6 billion—an 81.6% jump from the same period last year, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said. Most of the surge comes from online fraud: romance scams and bogus “investment” platforms now account for roughly four in five cases. From January to September alone, police logged 47,850 internet-fraud reports with losses of RM2 billion, up 93.89% year on year. “These figures arent a point of pride—they reflect broken trust and lives upended by fraud,” the IGP noted.

Enforcement has intensified. Between January and September, the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) arrested 20,784 suspects across a range of offences. At the same time, the National Fraud Response Centre (NSRC)—which unites PDRM, the National Financial Crime Centre, Bank Negara Malaysia and the MCMC—has operated around the clock, receiving 266,380 calls since its launch on 12 October 2022 and classifying 159,873 as actionable “genuine cases” to trace and block stolen funds. To help the public stay ahead of scammers, authorities have also run 14,668 outreach activities, from exhibitions and talks to sustained media collaborations.

The recent case of a senior bank officer losing RM6.65 million to a fake trading app is a stark reminder that no one is immune. In an era where criminals can mimic legitimate brokers within hours, trust must be earned through verification—not glossy apps or persuasive dashboards. Before sending even a single ringgit, confirm that the platform is licensed by a recognised authority, check whether the company appears on any Malaysian scam-alert or investor-alert lists, and verify the broker‘s licence independently with the regulator’s registry. If any detail cannot be confirmed, the safest decision is to walk away.

No One Is Safe: Senior Banker Lost RM6.65 Million in an Online Scam

Vigilance, healthy scepticism, and the use of verification tools—such as official regulator databases and due-diligence platforms like WikiFX—are now essential. The cost of neglect is not only financial; it can be emotional, reputational and deeply personal. When even a banker can be deceived, this is no longer a cautionary tale—it is a national warning.