The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) have issued a joint statement warning the public about a rising number of scams involving individuals impersonating officers from the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC). These specifically target bank customers, prompting an urgent call for heightened vigilance.
The associations clarified that NSRC only receives inbound calls and never makes outbound calls to individuals. Customers are advised to immediately hang up if they receive such calls, as they are likely fraudulent.
ABM and AIBIM’s statement detailed the fraudsters’ modus operandi, highlighting their tactic of posing as NSRC officers to deceive victims. Typically, the scam begins with an unknown call, where the fraudster claims the victim’s identity or personal information (such as their IC number or mobile number) is linked to illegal activities like money laundering and so on. They will then engage in lengthy, fake interrogations to establish legitimacy and to build trust, gradually convincing the victim to fall prey to the deception.
Once succeeded, the fraudster then requests the unsuspecting individual to leave their debit or ATM card at a designated location, enabling them to access the victim’s online banking account, facilitating unauthorised transfers, bill payments, and cash withdrawals. In cases where the victim does not have online banking, the fraudster may even offer to register one for them.
The associations also warned about fraudsters impersonating officers from enforcement agencies like Bank Negara Malaysia and Polis Diraja Malaysia, using threats to manipulate victims into transferring money or divulging their banking credentials. These tactics further underline the need for public vigilance.
To safeguard against these scams, ABM and AIBIM reminds customers that legitimate banks will never request sensitive information such as card details or online banking credentials. Additionally, customers are advised to avoid clicking on unknown links, downloading apps from messaging platforms, and sharing personal banking information. Victims of such scams should immediately contact the NSRC by calling 997 or their bank’s 24/7 customer service hotlines for immediate assistance.
(Source: ABM & AIBIM press release / official website)
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