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BNM: Nearly RM3 billion lost to online fraud in Malaysia in 2025

The BNM Governor put a figure on Malaysia's online fraud problem: nearly RM3 billion lost in 2025, and Selangor took the biggest hit.

Ringgit2U · · 2 min read
BNM Governor speaking at a financial literacy event in Shah Alam
  1. What happened1/4

    BNM puts a price on Malaysia's online fraud problem

    BNM Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said online fraud cost Malaysians nearly RM3 billion in 2025.

    He said this at the Karnival Celik Kewangan Selangor 2026 in Shah Alam on 24 October 2026. Selangor recorded the highest losses of any state.

    He also told the audience that financial institutions must tighten their controls, clarify their warnings, and act faster on suspicious activity. Protection, he said, only works when users and banks move together.

  2. The real numbers2/4

    Three numbers from the BNM announcement

    RM3 billionlost to online fraud in 2025
    Selangorstate with the highest losses
    3,000+#BijakWangChallenge participants this year

    Abdul Rasheed pointed to the #BijakWangChallenge as one way BNM is making financial learning more engaging for younger Malaysians. More than 3,000 people from across the country joined this year.

  3. BNM Governor speaking at a financial literacy event in Shah Alam
    Photo: Photo: Burst / CC0 1.0
  4. How it affects your wallet3/4

    Ten seconds is all a scammer needs

    Abdul Rasheed made the point simply: in the digital world, ten seconds is enough to transfer money. The same speed that makes online banking convenient also means you have almost no time to stop and double-check.

    A few seconds of hesitation is the difference between your savings staying in your account and being gone. The total is not one single event. It is the combined loss across the year, from many individual victims.

  5. What to do, step by step4/4

    What to do if you get a scam call

    1. Do not transfer the money. Hang up.
    2. Verify through the official channel. Call the bank's published number, not the number in the SMS or on the call you just received.
    3. If money has already left your account, call the National Scam Response Centre at 997 immediately.
    4. Contact your bank the same day. The faster you report, the better the chance they can freeze the transfer.
    5. Never share your MyKad number, OTP, or account details with anyone over the phone.
    1. 01/01
      RM3 billionlost to online fraud in 2025

      Three numbers from the BNM announcement

      lost to online fraud in 2025

Questions people ask

What number do I call if I have just been scammed?

Call the National Scam Response Centre at 997 immediately, then contact your bank the same day. The faster you report, the better the chance they can freeze the transfer.

Which state had the highest online fraud losses in 2025?

Selangor recorded the highest losses, according to BNM Governor Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour at the Karnival Celik Kewangan Selangor 2026 in Shah Alam.

Source: Bank Negara MalaysiaSinar HarianThe Star

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