The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) released findings from their third annual public survey on scam awareness, conducted by Rakuten Insight between March and April 2025. The survey collected responses from 1000 Malaysians nationwide.
Public Engagement and Campaign Effectiveness
Public scam awareness continues to rise, largely driven by the #JanganKenaScam campaign launched in 2023. Nine out of ten Malaysians actively read scam alerts, and 73% expressed satisfaction with scam education initiatives, showcasing strong trust in banking communications.
The latest survey demonstrates growing literacy in recognising scam tactics. Key findings include:
- 92% recognised the risks of installing unsolicited APK files
- 79% would avoid clicking on links in SMS or emails claiming to be from banks
- 85% of Malaysians were able to correctly identify a fake SMS
These figures also reflect the impact of continuous outreach through media and public education, resulting in the public taking appropriate action in response to scam threats. The survey further highlighted that:
- 82% would immediately contact their bank’s 24/7 hotline or disable their cards if they were compromised
- 77% would disable or freeze their card via online or mobile banking features
Digital Channels and Banking App Effectiveness
Banking apps proved critical for scam awareness, with over half of respondents receiving campaign messages through their apps. 70% read scam alerts via push notifications, and satisfaction with banks’ protective efforts rose to 76%, a 13% increase from the previous survey.
Social media remains a key source of scam information—52% encountered scam-related posts on Facebook and Instagram. Encouragingly, 70% of Malaysians shared scam warnings with friends and family, often via WhatsApp, while 60% recalled seeing awareness messages through media and public campaigns.
Industry Commitments and Protective Measures
The banking industry introduced five key anti-scam initiatives:
- Migrating from SMS OTPs to secure authentication
- Tightening fraud detection
- Instituting verification and cooling-off periods
- Restricting apps to single devices
- Maintaining 24/7 complaint channels
Areas for Improvement
Despite positive trends, only one-third of respondents could correctly identify the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) hotline (997). Prompt reporting remains essential to recovering funds and stopping scams in their tracks.
For more information, visit www.JanganKenaScam.com or follow @JanganKenaScamOfficial on Instagram to keep up with scam updates and protective strategies.
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