As 11.11 approaches, Versa survey shows 96pc of Malaysians fear mobile scams and hacks

As the 11.11 shopping event draws near, a recent Versa survey has revealed that 96% of Malaysians are deeply concerned about mobile scams and hacking attempts. Only 4% of Malaysians believe their smartphones are truly secure against hackers and scammers. The survey, which polled 1,022 local users, found that 78% of respondents had either been scammed themselves or knew someone who fell victim to such scams within the past two years.

The primary channels for these scams were identified as direct phone calls and SMS messages, affecting 80% and 76% of victims respectively. The fast-paced nature of year-end sales and fraudulent parcel delivery text messages are being exploited by syndicates. The Federal Police reported a sharp increase in online crime, with nearly double the cases in 2025 compared to the previous year, totaling over 66,000 cases and causing losses of RM2.97 billion.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, 16,880 online scams resulted in losses of more than RM555.7 million, including 4,858 e-commerce fraud cases. Experts advise shoppers to verify unfamiliar bank accounts and phone numbers before transferring funds, avoid switching to unofficial payment methods, and never disclose sensitive information.

Versa recommends double-checking money transactions, using licensed platforms, and reporting any suspected breaches immediately to prevent further damage.