By Amanda L
KUCHING, Mar 7: A 77-year-old retired teacher lost about RM47,000 after her mobile phone was allegedly hacked while she was attempting to hire a cleaner through a social media advertisement, prompting the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaint Bureau (PBC) to call for stronger banking security measures.
SUPP PBC chief Milton Foo said the victim, identified as Madam Tan, had been searching for cleaning services on Facebook before Chinese New Year when she came across an advertisement for D.C Cleaning Service, which offered services at RM16 to RM17 per hour.
“Attracted by the low price, she clicked on the link provided in the advertisement and later received a phone call from a man who claimed to represent the cleaning service,” Foo told reporters during a press conference here today.
According to Foo, during the call, the victim was asked to download an English version of a booking application and instructed her to click several settings on her mobile phone.
The victim remained on the phone with the caller for about two hours. During that time, the call was disconnected several times and her phone screen reportedly turned black.
Unbeknownst to her, multiple unauthorised banking transactions were allegedly carried out during the same period.
Later that night, Madam Tan received a phone call from someone claiming to be from a bank asking whether she had requested to block her debit card. The call raised suspicions and prompted her family to check her bank accounts.
Realising something was wrong, she lodged a police report shortly after midnight on Feb 9 before giving a more detailed statement to the police the following day.
Foo said the stolen funds were allegedly transferred to several accounts before being withdrawn through automated teller machines (ATMs), a method commonly associated with ‘mule accounts’ used by scam syndicates.
“The victim subsequently filed disputes with several banks, but most of the claims were rejected as the transactions were recorded as authorised through the online system.
“The total loss is about RM47,000, involving savings, credit facilities and e-wallet transactions,” he said.
Foo stressed that the increasing number of online banking scams highlights the need for stronger safeguards within the financial system.
He urged authorities to review the Financial Services Act 2013 to compel financial institutions to strengthen security measures for digital banking services.
Among the measures proposed, Foo suggested implementing biometric verification such as fingerprint authentication or facial recognition for ATM withdrawals and high-risk banking transactions.
“Currently, ATM withdrawals only require a card and PIN number. With biometric verification such as fingerprint or facial recognition, it would be more difficult for syndicates to cash out stolen money,” he said.
Foo also called on authorities and financial institutions to intensify efforts to curb mule accounts, which are often used by scam syndicates to receive and withdraw stolen funds.
In many cases, he said individuals lend their bank accounts or identity documents to syndicates in exchange for small payments, allowing criminals to move stolen funds through multiple accounts before withdrawing them in cash.
He further urged Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Ministry of Finance to review existing banking security protocols and ensure financial institutions adopt stronger technological safeguards.
Foo emphasised that banks have a responsibility to protect depositors’ funds as customers place their money in financial institutions based on trust.
He also reminded the public to remain cautious when responding to online advertisements, unfamiliar phone calls or links requesting downloads or personal information.
By raising the case, Foo hopes authorities and financial institutions will take stronger action to address the growing threat of online scams and improve safeguards for bank customers. — DayakDaily
