Scam Surge in Sarawak: Losses Soar to RM77.7 Million in Just 7 Months

Online fraud in Sarawak is escalating at an alarming rate, with victims losing RM77.7 million in the first seven months of this year, marking a nearly 47 per cent jump from the RM52.9 million lost during the same period in 2024.

According to Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata, a total of 2,256 commercial crime cases were reported between January and July, a significant 61 per cent increase compared to 1,398 cases recorded during the same timeframe last year. He cautioned that, if this trend persists, scam-related losses could approach RM100 million by the end of the year.

Police investigations reveal that cybercriminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods. One tactic involves the use of fabricated receipts to deceive businesses into transferring funds. Victims are often misled through impersonations, including fraudsters posing as law enforcement officers to induce panic and prompt immediate action.

Individuals aged 30 to 40 made up the largest share of scam victims, followed by younger adults aged 18 to 29 and senior citizens. Authorities believe the surge in scam cases is largely driven by a lack of awareness about scam tactics, a desire to earn fast money, and the panic response triggered by fraudsters' coercive communication strategies.

To date, law enforcement has arrested 867 individuals in connection with these crimes, and 834 have already been formally charged in court. The number of mule bank accounts used by criminals to receive or transfer illegal funds has also risen sharply, from 639 cases last year to 832 so far this year.

One of the most significant breakthroughs in the crackdown against online fraud came through coordinated raids on three call centres operated by scam syndicates in Miri and Sibu. These operations highlighted the scale and organisation behind many of the scams targeting the public.

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