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PHISHING scams accounted for a staggering 77 per cent of all fraud cases in Malaysia last year, according to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who described the cyber threat as the most dominant form of online fraud currently facing the country.
In a written reply to the Senate, Gobind disclosed that CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) had recorded 3,258 phishing incidents in 2024, out of a total of 4,219 fraud cases nationwide.
“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.
Phishing refers to an online scam in which criminals impersonate trusted organisations—typically through emails, text messages, phone calls, or counterfeit websites—in an attempt to deceive individuals into disclosing sensitive information such as passwords, personal details, or banking credentials.
Gobind was responding to a question from Senator Norhasmimi Abdul Ghani, who asked about the government’s strategies to address the rising threat of phishing.
In reply, he outlined a number of initiatives spearheaded by the ministry and CSM, including public education campaigns aimed at raising awareness of phishing tactics, recognising suspicious activity, and promoting responsible online behaviour through the CyberSecurity Awareness for Everyone (CyberSafe) programme.
He added that the Cyber999 Cyber Incident Response Centre, operated by CSM, serves as a key platform for the public to report cybersecurity incidents and receive guidance on rapid countermeasures.
“CSM has also developed guidelines and regulations for organisations to combat cyber threats, including specific measures against phishing attacks,” Gobind said. - September 9, 2025