By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 1: Sarawak has recorded an alarming surge in scam-related crimes, with cases rising by 61.37 per cent in the first seven months of this year compared to the same period in 2024, resulting in total financial losses amounting to a staggering RM77.7 million.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Dato Mancha Ata revealed that from Jan 1 to July 30, 2025, a total of 2,256 commercial crime investigation papers were opened, up from 1,398 cases reported during the same timeframe last year, which marked an increase of 858 cases.
“The victims lost RM77.7 million to scammers as of July 30, 2025, representing a sharp 46.88 per cent increase or RM24.8 million compared to RM52.9 million lost in the same period last year,” he said in a statement following a press conference at the Kuching Police Headquarters today.
He warned that if the trend continues unchecked, total losses could exceed RM100 million by the end of the year, inflicting deep financial hardship on victims and threatening the economic stability of families across Sarawak.
Mancha highlighted that the most common scam tactics identified include online purchase scams, non-existent investment schemes, fake loans, job offer scams, and phone scams.
“These are often facilitated through the use of mule accounts, which is bank accounts rented or sold to criminals by individuals for monthly payments ranging from RM100 to RM3,000,” he explained.
Statistics show that victims are mostly individuals in their 30s and 40s (584 cases), followed by those aged 18 to 29 (439 cases) and those aged 50 and above (267 cases).
“Private sector employees (497), civil servants (237), retirees (72), students, and the self-employed were among the hardest hit,” he added.
In response to the surge, Sarawak’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) has stepped up enforcement, arresting 867 individuals suspected of commercial crimes so far this year.
“Of these, 834 have been charged in court across 827 investigation papers.
“The number of mule account holders prosecuted also jumped by 30.2 per cent, from 639 individuals in 2024 to 832 in the same period this year,” he said.
Police urge the public to remain vigilant and to verify all financial transactions and communications, especially those involving unsolicited offers or threats. — DayakDaily
