Online fraud cases are increasingly worrying with losses of over RM19 million recorded until early March 2025. According to a Bernama report, a total of 2,328 cases have been reported, showing an increase of 36.9% compared to the same period last year.
Police advise the public to be more careful when making online purchases, especially when involving offers that seem too attractive. In addition, the public is advised to only make transactions through secure e-commerce platforms, as well as check the seller's account number and phone number through the SemakMule portal before making any payment.
Police also announced that they have identified a fraud syndicate that is using fake posters with the theme "Ramadan Bersama Shopee" to deceive buyers. The syndicate's modus operandi is to manipulate the posters and enter the victim's phone number as the winner of the competition.
The victim was then contacted and instructed to activate Shopee PayLater to make a claim. The public is reminded to be aware of fraud syndicates like this to avoid becoming victims, especially during the festive season.