RM5.16mil returned to scam victims between January and July

RM5.16 million, or 65 percent of the RM7.94 million seized in recent raids, was returned to scam victims in Malaysia between January and July, according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. The National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) and police collaborated with strategic partners to freeze and return the stolen funds.

Saifuddin emphasized the importance of returning victims' money to provide them with a sense of justice. The minister also highlighted that criminals exploit victims across borders, citing 746 Malaysians falling victim to fake job offers abroad as of August 28. Through Op Pintas Khas, the police rescued 138 forced labour victims in 77 raids nationwide.

Saifuddin warned about the risks of online exploitation and sexual abuse of children, estimating that 100,000 children fall victim to such abuse annually. The police conducted Op Cyber Guardian with seven countries in April, arresting 69 people and seizing 498,694 digital files, including 204,934 files containing child sexual abuse material.

Saifuddin noted that scam syndicates steal over US$1 trillion (RM4.04 trillion) from the public annually, a figure that only includes victims who reported their losses. In the United States, the FBI recorded losses of over US$16 billion (RM70 billion) from cybercrime in a single year. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that scam operations in Southeast Asia alone generate tens of billions of dollars per year.

Saifuddin emphasized that the Global Anti-Scam Alliance estimates scam syndicates steal more than US$1 trillion from the public every year. The latest Internet Crime Report by the FBI in the United States recorded losses of over US$16 billion (RM70 billion) over a one-year period. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that scammers in Southeast Asia alone generate tens of billions of dollars annually.