CYBERJAYA, March 3 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today advised people to call the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) emergency hotline immediately if they believe they have been scammed.
He said quick action is crucial to prevent funds from being siphoned out of victims’ accounts and for authorities to act swiftly.
“The faster the victim calls 997, the faster Bank Negara Malaysia can block the stolen funds,” Fahmi told reporters after the launch of the NSRC, which began operating fully from its new premises at Menara 2 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) here today.
“I hope the media can highlight 997. This is very important,” he added.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the NSRC now operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week – it was previously operating out of Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) building in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the centre reflects the government’s firm commitment to combating cybercrime through stronger coordination between key agencies, including BNM, MCMC, the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre, and the police.
Saifuddin Nasution said the NSRC recorded 146,147 complaint calls throughout 2025, resulting in 138 freezing actions and the recovery of RM34.53 million from falling into the hands of scam syndicates.
He added that the amount of money successfully returned to victims also rose sharply, from RM508,407 in 2024 to RM6.7 million last year.
“For January alone this year, we recorded 35,322 calls. If this trend continues, the total number of calls will increase significantly compared with last year,” he said.
Saifuddin Nasution said that once a report is lodged, the process involves suspending the bank account, investigating the transaction and returning the recovered funds to victims where possible.
He said delays in reporting could be costly, citing cases where scammers emptied 80 to 90 per cent of an account within three to 10 minutes using mule accounts.
“The first one to two hours are crucial. The longer the victim waits, the harder it becomes to stop the money from being layered and moved,” he said.
He added that amendments to the Penal Code now make it an offence for individuals to allow their bank accounts to be used by scammers, as part of the government’s broader effort to wage an “all-out war” on online fraud.
Malay Mail – Malaysia
