In Malaysia, reports of cyber security incidents have increased especially with alarming occurrences of online scams over the past two years. According to the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), a total of 71,833 scams, amounting to more than RM5.2 billion losses, were reported from 2020 until May 2022. Out of the total amount of scams, 48,850 or 68 per cent were online scams, where 26,213 cases were prosecuted in court.
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The latest incident was a report that went viral in social media and the mainstream media two days ago by a Malaysia-based nephrologist who lost RM13,000 from her bank account over three online banking transactions that were performed and completed without any TAC verification. This resulted in questions over the bank’s cyber security measures.
Considering this, many are now wondering how to protect themselves from falling victim to online scams. Here are some tips from one of the cyber security experts in Malaysia, Novem CS Chief Executive Officer, Murugason R. Thangaratnam:
- Do not access personal or financial data using public Wi-Fi;
- Turn off anything you do not need;
- Choose your apps wisely;
- Be sceptical about links and attachments;
- Do not overshare on social media (i.e., lifestyle posts, photos of driving licence or passport, or anything else that shows your lifestyle that may attract unnecessary attention);
- Always check permissions on new apps and updates; and
- When it comes to banking, give a call to your bank to double check when you receive a suspicious message or email allegedly from the bank.
Scams have generally prompted discussions that focus on who is responsible for an incident, and in response, many cyber security experts have reportedly, over time, emphasised the responsibilities and roles of both service providers and users to prevent the occurrence of cybercrime in any shape and form.
What are your thoughts? Do share your tips and recommendations too! 
