CRIMINALS are getting smarter with every day passed and many have been adapting new ways of conning the public, including posing as authorities just to earn a quick buck from the unsuspecting victim.
Is a new trick going around by criminals posing to be officers from the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) threatening to block the public’s phone numbers for sharing illegal links?
Verdict:
TRUE
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the cases led to RM729,995.20 in losses.
In a statement, Ramli said that the victims will receive a call from an individual claiming to be an NSCR officer informing them that their phone has been blocked for sending an illegal link and scam messages.
"The call will then be transferred to another individual, who posed as a police officer.
"Victims will then be instructed to follow all orders until it leads to the victims transferring their money to another account given by the scammer," he added.
Comm Ramli reminded the public the NSRC is a hotline to receive calls from the public.
"It is a one-way communication and the NSRC will not call any individual.
"Thus any call claiming to be from NSRC is a scam," he said.
To optimise efforts to curb online scams, Comm Ramli urged scam victims to contact the NSRC 997 hotline to report the matter and calls must be made within 24 hours so that opportunities to block the money transfer are higher.
"We hope the public will not panic or easily believe any call from an unknown individual," he said.
He also advised the public to verify with the relevant agencies the authenticity of such suspicious calls.
