NSRC Impersonation Scams on the Rise in Malaysia

Amidst a surge in scams impersonating National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) officers, the public receives a stern caution from the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM). These scams, if successful, could lead to significant financial losses for unsuspecting victims.

Typically, the scam begins with victims receiving calls from individuals claiming to be NSRC officers. These callers allege that the victims' identities, including their National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers or mobile numbers, are linked to illegal activities such as money laundering and transactions involving mule accounts.

The fraudulent tactics deployed by these impostors are sophisticated, involving prolonged interrogation techniques that mimic authentic investigations. Through persistent and repeated phone calls, they gain the victims' trust and persuade them to leave their debit/ATM cards at specified locations.

This manoeuvre grants the fraudsters access to victims' online banking accounts, enabling them to execute unauthorized transfers, initiate bill payments, register for online banking services, and even withdraw cash using the victims' cards.

The NSRC operational procedures are clarified in the statement, emphasizing that the centre only receives calls from the public and does not engage in outbound calls to individuals. It advises immediate disconnection if individuals receive calls from alleged NSRC officers.

Furthermore, the public is cautioned to exercise vigilance against fraudsters impersonating representatives from enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies such as Bank Negara Malaysia and the Royal Malaysian Police. These impostors often resort to intimidation and coercion over the phone to extract sensitive information or persuade victims to transfer money.

The statement reiterates that banks will never request sensitive information such as credit/debit card numbers, CVV numbers, online banking credentials, or SMS OTP/TAC numbers from customers.

In a bid to enhance security measures, banks have implemented various initiatives since July 2023. These include substituting SMS OTP with more secure authentication methods, enhancing fraud detection mechanisms, introducing a cooling-off period for new online banking registrations, restricting secure device registrations to one per customer, and establishing a 24/7 complaint channel.

In addition to these measures, the public is advised to adopt good cyber hygiene practices, such as refraining from clicking on links from unfamiliar sources, downloading applications exclusively from official app stores, and abstaining from sharing banking details or engaging with unknown calls or messages. These precautions are essential to safeguard against financial scams and ensure the security of personal information in today's digital landscape.