KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 871 cases of online fraud cases were recorded during the Hari Raya festive season, with losses of almost RM37.2 million.

Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the figure was recorded from April 1 to 14 where out of the total, telecommunications crimes recorded the highest with 342 cases, followed by e-commerce crimes with 217.

"Other cases include nonexistent investments (157 cases), nonexistent loans (112 cases), e-financial crimes (29 cases), and love scams (14 cases)," he said at a press conference.

Ramli said that the figure, however, was lower compared to the same period in 2023, which recorded a total of 1,465 cases and losses of RM56.7 million.

He also said that the festive season had no substantial effect on the rise in online crime rates.

This, he explained, was due to increasing public knowledge of crime prevention issues, which had resulted in lower figures.

Ramli added that as of April 14, the CCID recorded 8,913 cases of commercial crimes involving losses of RM835 million.

"Compared to the same period last year, there was an 11 per cent drop, with 10,010 instances and damages of RM504 million.

However, Ramli said, the loss was significantly higher with an increase of 66 per cent.

In terms of charges, he added that there had been 4,541 investigation papers successfully charged in court, representing 51 per cent of the total investigation papers opened.

"This percentage of charges is also better compared to the same period last year, which recorded a total of 4,331 charges or 43 per cent," he said.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2024/04/1039998/commercial-crimes-down-11pct-compared-last-year-despite-higher