{
  "id": 2088055,
  "title": "Fahmi: Take anti-scam campaigns to rural, remote areas",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/fahmi-take-anti-scam-campaigns-to-rural-remote-areas",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T06:53:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/08/1515221/fahmi-take-anti-scam-campaigns-rural-remote-areas"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil has urged the expansion of anti-scam awareness campaigns to rural and remote areas due to the ease with which scammers can now target communities through wider internet access. According to Fahmi, scammers can now target people in remote areas without leaving their workplaces. He emphasized the importance of taking the programme to town halls and meeting with villages, as not everyone can attend the hotel-based forums or awareness campaigns. Fahmi highlighted that while wider internet access, including 5G, has become cheap and widely available, it does not guarantee a safer digital environment. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has requested the removal of 476,516 pieces of content since January 1, including 128,312 related to scams, with 67,115 of these scam-related posts on Facebook and 50,642 on TikTok. Scam cases can lead to significant financial losses and psychological effects for victims.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Anti-scam awareness campaigns must be expanded to rural and remote areas as wider internet access also gives scammers more opportunities to target communities, said Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.",
  "key_points": [
    "Fahmi urges expansion of anti-scam campaigns to rural and remote areas",
    "Scammers can target remote communities via internet access from workplaces",
    "MCMC removed 476,516 pieces of content, including 128,312 scam-related posts"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The minister's push to extend anti-scam efforts to rural areas reflects a recognition that wider internet access has increased vulnerability to scams in these communities.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Fahmi calls for stronger online anti‑fraud outreach in rural areas amid rising cyber threats",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/fahmi-calls-for-stronger-online-anti-fraud-outreach-in-rural-areas",
        "published": "2026-08-20T06:13:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}