RM45mil lost through scams on Telegram since 2020
Published on: Monday, June 19, 2023
By: FMT
Fahmi Fadzil says his ministry’s meeting with Telegram, MCMC and the police will help ensure the instant messaging platform is safe. (Photo: Freepik via FMT)
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians have lost RM45 million in online scams on instant messaging platform Telegram from January 2020 until May this year, says communications and digital minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi said this following a meeting among his ministry, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the police, and officials from Telegram.
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Among the top police officers at the meeting held at the Bukit Aman police headquarters were Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and Bukit Aman criminal investigation department (CID) director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
Fahmi said he spoke about the prevalence of online investment scams, pornography, paedophilia, and other online crimes on Telegram during the meeting that lasted more than an hour.
He said Telegram is committed to combatting these issues and is prepared to forge a close working relationship with MCMC and the police.
“I welcome this cooperation with Telegram to curb (online) crimes that are taking place on the platform,” he said in a statement.
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“Today’s meeting was a good start for cross-agency cooperation which will ensure that Telegram is safe to be used.
“The government will not remain silent and allow criminals to take over.”
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The meeting followed numerous requests by the ministry to discuss user security with Telegram.
Last month, Bernama reported Fahmi as saying his ministry had reached out to the company several times since January for a meeting, but the firm had been uncooperative.
He said the ministry had received various complaints about the services provided on the platform regarding public safety, including the sale of drugs, scams, and pornography.
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