Scam syndicates in Malaysia are increasingly exploiting artificial intelligence (AI) and social media platforms to conduct sophisticated fraud, with teenagers emerging as the main victims, according to the Malaysian Cyber Consumers Association (MCCA).
Its president, Siraj Jalil, said scam operations have moved beyond conventional tactics such as Macau, love, investment and parcel scams, evolving into cybercrimes that include child sexual exploitation, extortion, and the sale of illegal content.
One growing tactic involves fake “sugar mommy” offers on TikTok, where scammers lure teenagers into sharing personal content before blackmailing them for money. “Even after victims make payments, their materials are often resold on platforms such as Telegram, including to paedophile networks,” Siraj said, as reported by Bernama.
Online sellers have also become targets, with scammers impersonating them by copying ads to trick buyers. In such cases, genuine sellers often face account freezes when victims lodge complaints against them.
According to Siraj, syndicates now rely on AI-generated content, leaked user data from tech giants like Meta, and sophisticated social engineering tactics to manipulate victims.
He urged parents to closely monitor their children’s online activities and called on the government to introduce AI literacy programmes to strengthen public awareness and resilience against scams.
