The NSRC is a joint effort among the anti-financial crime centre (NFCC), police, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), financial institutions and telecommunications companies.

It focuses on online financial fraud, including phishing scams, Macau scams, malware attack scams, parcel scams and love scams.

FMT takes a closer look at the NSRC and how it can help victims of online scams quickly and effectively.

What to do if you have been scammed

If you have fallen victim to a scam, here are two things you should do:

First, contact your bank’s 24-hour hotline or the NSRC at 997, which will operate from 8am to 8pm daily, even on public holidays. Immediate action is important to ensure the bank can intercept any stolen funds.

Even if it might have been more than 24 hours since you were scammed, you should at least report the matter to your bank. If you have already lodged a report with your bank, there is no need to contact the NSRC as the financial institution will be directly working with the centre over the case.

However, do not call 997 if your bank account has been blocked because this may have occurred due to suspicion that criminals have used it as a mule account.

Second, file a police report at your nearest police station. This is a must-do so that a formal investigation is launched.

What information you will need to give

Whether you are making a report to your bank, NSRC or police, be sure to have the following information ready:

• A brief description of the incident (for example, the chronology of events);
• Your personal details (name, contact number, IC number, bank account number);
• The scammer’s details (name, contact number);
• Transaction details (numbers of bank accounts involved, the amount, time of transfer).

Also be prepared to supply evidence to the authorities, such as screenshots of conversations with scammers.

It is important to note that the NSRC, the relevant authorities and financial institutions will not call you to ask for private banking details, such as your password, PIN number, transaction authorisation code (TAC) or one-time password (OTP).

What to expect after making a report

After lodging a police report, the investigating police officer assigned to your case will provide you with their contact details. They may also request additional information from you to further facilitate investigations.

You can also follow up on the status of your case by checking https://sso.rmp.gov.my/ or contacting your assigned investigating officer.

While there is no guarantee that the NSRC will be able to facilitate the return of every sen lost in a scam, quick action can help minimise your losses. This is why it is important to be aware of the type of scams around, and to be quick to report the matter should it occur to you.

More information on the NSRC can be found here.