Phishing made up 77pct of fraud cases last year

KUALA LUMPUR: Phishing was the most common form of fraud last year, with 3,258 cases reported, accounting for 77 per cent of all fraud, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said.

Phishing is an online scam where criminals trick people into revealing passwords, bank details, or personal data by posing as trusted organisations via emails, texts, calls, or fake websites.

In a written reply for the Senate, he said 2,227 phishing cases were reported as of July this year.

“The ministry, through CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM), recorded a total of 3,258 phishing incidents in 2024. This represented about 77 per cent of the 4,219 fraud cases reported that year.

“As of July 2025, 2,227 phishing incidents were recorded, accounting for 66 per cent of the 3,356 fraud cases reported. These figures clearly show that phishing remains the most dominant form of cyber fraud and a major threat to national cybersecurity,” he said.

Gobind was responding to Senator Norhasmimi Abdul Ghani, who asked about the government’s strategies to curb the rise of phishing attacks.

The ministry had undertaken several initiatives, including public education on phishing threats, identifying suspicious activities, and promoting best cybersecurity practices through the CyberSecurity Awareness for Everyone (CyberSafe) programme, he said.

Gobind also said that CSM operates the Cyber999 Cyber Incident Response Centre, which allows the public to report cybersecurity incidents, including phishing, and provides advice on rapid response measures.

“CSM has also developed guidelines and regulations for organisations to combat cyber threats, including specific measures against phishing attacks.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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