KUCHING: The authorities should consider holding crime prevention activities together with the citizens.
Sarawak Patriot Association (SPA) chairman, Datuk Dr Lau Pang Heng said the citizen is first to know where crime takes place and should inform the police immediately.
“Citizen and police can jointly organise crime prevention exercise in order to reduce crimes and citizen perception on fear of crime,” he said.
Lau noted that citizen perception of fear of crime in and around Kuching has dropped to 60 per cent as of May, 2023 as compared to 79 per cent back in 2018.
“This is due to an increase in commercial crimes, though index crimes have dropped. We all need to be triple careful as cheating online is increasing in this borderless world. Many people want to get rich fast,” he told this reporter yesterday.
Lau said that there were many tactics used by the scammers to deceive the public such as fictitious company shares, non-existent products, fictitious employment, unlicensed Investment fund, money laundering, clone firm scams, unlicensed business among others.
He also reminds the public to never answer calls from unidentified callers, particularly if the caller is from overseas.
The public also may install “True Caller,” and “Whose call” application in their cell phone.
These two apps will identify the caller information and if the caller is a scammer.
In case of doubts, before committing to any financial transactions, please check with National Scam Response centre at 997 or the national commercial crime investigations department 013 211 1222 or log in to semakmule.rmp/gov.my to check scammers.
Scam victims can report to the nearest police station to seek for help from the commercial crime unit.
Victims need to bring along the social media conversations to show the scammer’s identify.
Apart from that, individuals can educate themselves and enhance their financial literacy to better understand investment opportunities, risks, and red flags, thereby reducing their vulnerability to investment scams.
Lau said the public should adopt a mindset that “there’s no such thing as easy money.
“Guaranteed, assured profits with zero risk simply don’t exist; every investment involves some degree of risk.
“Do not follow the masses. So-called affinity frauds prey upon members of a common social circle, religious group, or ethnic background. If someone tells you that “everyone” is in on the deal, they may be lying —or they may have victimised several of your peers already.
“Refuse to rush to decision. Legitimate investment professionals will allow you time to conduct your due diligence. If you are given a limited window in which to accept, walk away,” he advised.
Lau said in order to protect oneself from investment scams, it is crucial to exercise caution and conduct thorough research before investing.
“Be sceptical of any investment that offers exceptionally high returns with little or no risk.
“Verify the legitimacy of the investment opportunity, check the background of the company or individuals involved, and seek advice from licensed financial professionals or regulatory authorities.
“If an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is. Stay vigilant and informed to safeguard your finances and avoid falling victim to scammers,” he advised.
