{
  "id": 4146570,
  "title": "BNM warns of scammers using phone numbers similar to STR, Sara hotlines and impersonating MoF officials",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/bnm-warns-of-scammers-using-phone-numbers-similar-to-str-sara",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-29T08:16:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/08/29/bnm-warns-of-scammers-using-phone-numbers-similar-to-str-sara-hotlines-and-impersonating-mof-officials/233196"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUCHING, Aug 29 — The public is urged to exercise caution against scammers masquerading as officials from the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programmes. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has issued a warning, stating that some criminal groups are employing phone numbers similar to official hotlines to deceive individuals and gain their trust before requesting personal and banking information. BNM explained that certain individuals are impersonating representatives from the Ministry of Finance (MoF), falsely claiming to be associated with the STR and Sara programmes, and contacting people using numbers that closely resemble official contact numbers. This tactic aims to trick victims into disclosing sensitive information. The central bank clarified that the MoF has not authorized any third party to utilize its official contact numbers for handling STR or Sara matters, and MoF officials would never request payments on behalf of the public. BNM cautioned the public against disclosing any personal or banking details to unidentified callers, such as MyKad numbers, bank account numbers, One-Time Passwords (OTPs), Transaction Authorisation Codes (TACs), online banking passwords, Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), and other personal or financial information. The bank also emphasized adherence to the '3S' anti-fraud principle: inquire (Soal), block (Sekat), and share (Sebar). The public should first verify the caller's information and identity, refrain from providing personal or banking data to strangers, and subsequently inform friends and family about the scam while reporting it to enforcement authorities to prevent further victimization. In case of falling victim to fraud, the bank advised the victim to contact their bank's hotline for assistance in blocking suspicious transactions and to report the incident to the police for further investigation. Additionally, the bank urged individuals to immediately end any suspicious calls claiming to be from STR or Sara programme officials and contact the relevant authorities through official channels to verify the caller's identity and the information provided. BNM stressed that no money should be transferred or personal information shared with strangers. The public is warned to remain vigilant and cautious when dealing with such impersonators.",
  "summary": "KUCHING, Aug 29 — Members of the public have been advised to remain vigilant against individuals impersonating off...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Borneo Post Online",
        "title": "Public urged to beware of scammers impersonating STR, Sara aid officials",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/public-urged-to-beware-of-scammers-impersonating-str-sara-aid",
        "published": "2026-08-29T07:38:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "BNM warns of scammers using phone numbers similar to STR, Sara hotlines and impersonating MoF officials",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/bnm-warns-of-scammers-using-phone-numbers-similar-to-str-sara-4147773",
        "published": "2026-08-29T08:16:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}