TEACHERS make up the largest group of civil servants who have fallen victim to online scammers in Johor as of September this year, involving losses amounting to RM4.24 million.

Johor police chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat said from a total of 388 reports related to online fraud received across the state involving civil servants, 117 cases were teachers.

“With about 50,000 teachers (in Johor), maybe that is one of the (factors) why the majority (of victims), are teachers. Scammers do not choose victims but maybe it’s because there is a large community of teachers here.

“(That is why) through town hall meetings, we can educate and prevent them from becoming victims,” he said after inaugurating a town hall discussion programme titled “Current Scammer Threat” for 250 teachers at Wisma Bank Simpanan Nasional Johor today.

However, he said the overall losses to online fraud involving civil servants showed a sharp downward trend to RM10.02 million this year compared to RM109.07 million in the same period last year.

Kamarul said there is a need to raise awareness on the forms of online fraud through formal public education that addresses the threat of scammers including holding campaigns in schools, colleges and workplaces.

He also reminded the public not to disclose bank account details to unknown parties to avoid becoming victims of mule account fraud.

“The important element is the account. When we reveal this, we will be cheated or the account may be given to others, (then) we will be a victim as account mules.

“An arrest can be made even if the victim did not do anything wrong. By giving his account away to a syndicate, it is an offence, even if it is a small payment,” he said. – Bernama, October 3, 2023.