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Cambodia and Indonesia have committed to intensifying joint efforts against online scams, recognizing the transnational nature of cyber fraud. An international conference on the issue will be held in Phnom Penh in late September.
The UN's International Organisation for Migration has flagged online scam centres as the world's fastest-growing human trafficking route, ensnaring job seekers from over 80 countries through fraudulent employment offers and generating annual losses of US$88-114 billion.
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet has pledged intensified efforts against transnational online scam networks, acknowledging that criminal syndicates are becoming more decentralized and difficult to pursue across the region.
Sabah's youth minister urges intensified digital literacy efforts following a surge in online complaints. The east coast recorded 1,232 cases involving scams and cyberbullying in the first six months of the year.
Malaysia's government has created a special cross-agency working committee to combat escalating online scam crimes. The initiative brings together multiple ministries, banking institutions, telecommunications firms and social media platforms in a coordinated enforcement strategy.
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Malaysian authorities have arrested more than 45,000 individuals linked to online scams since 2023, amid a nationwide crackdown on cyber fraud. Police have initiated over 165,000 investigations into scam cases, signalling the scale of the problem.