JOHOR BAHRU: Less than two months into 2025, scam cases in Johor have already resulted in losses exceeding RM40 million, marking a 55 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, says Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar.

From January to 14 February, the commercial crime division of Johor police opened file for a total of 1,126 fraud cases, a surge of 399 cases or 55 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. The sum involved spiked from RM32.22 million to RM41.72 million.

“Of the 1,126 fraud cases, 90 per cent were classified as online scams,” Kumar said when chairing the monthly meeting on Thursday.

He pointed out that with technological advancements and the rapid development of the digital era, scams are becoming increasingly prevalent.

This highlights a lack of public awareness regarding online frauds, and immediate measures are needed to improve the situation.

Although it is challenging to combat scammers, it is not impossible, said Kumar.

Preventative measures must be taken at community level to prevent more victims from falling prey, he added.

He urged all Johor police officers to work together by sharing information and collaborating with the community to curb scam activities and prevent fraudsters from running rampant in the state.