KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) has recovered and returned RM14.3 million to online scam victims between Oct 12, 2022 and September this year.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the NSRC had also prevented losses amounting to RM100.93 million, while losses reported through its 997 hotline totalled RM1.2 billion from 468,675 calls received between Oct 12, 2022 and August this year.

Although the reported losses were relatively low compared with the US$20 billion in cumulative losses recorded across Southeast Asia, he stressed the need to step up efforts to prevent Malaysians from falling victim to online scams.

“Those who fall victim to scams should immediately call the NSRC hotline at 997.

“People should also check telephone numbers using Semak Mule 2.0 before carrying out any transactions,” he said when winding up debate on the Supply Bill 2027 for the Home Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Saifuddin Nasution said the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) continued to intensify intelligence gathering and joint operations to combat organised crime syndicates using Malaysia as a base for their operations.

Among the measures taken were targeted raids on premises identified as scam call centres, with enforcement efforts also aimed at dismantling the syndicates’ entire operational structure.

He said the comprehensive approach was intended to disrupt the syndicates’ technical, communication and financial networks and prevent them from establishing a foothold in the country.

“Between 2023 and August this year, arrests linked to scam call centres involved 36 key masterminds, 74 managers, 165 supervisors, 118 finance personnel responsible for managing mule accounts, 18 communications personnel, 132 IT programmers, 8,500 operators and 157 general workers,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said intensified enforcement against online scams saw 61,363 operations carried out during the same period, with the number of arrests highlighting the growing severity of the threat posed by this form of crime.

On drug trafficking syndicates, Saifuddin Nasution said 80 per cent of the drug supply in Malaysia came from abroad, while the remaining 20 per cent were produced in clandestine laboratories within the country.

He said PDRM, through the capabilities of Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, had dismantled drug laboratories worth RM5 billion as of September this year.

“Therefore, we continue to strengthen cooperation with other countries because smuggling is a transnational crime. This is among the measures we are taking,” he said. — Bernama