KULAI: A total of 63,652 pieces of fraudulent online content on social media were taken down by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) last year.
Communications Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching said this was a significant increase compared to 6,297 pieces removed in 2023.
According to Teo, among the identified frauds included those involving artificial intelligence (AI) such as deepfakes, impersonation of notable figures, videos, graphics and text.
“With AI technology now, it’s incredibly easy to create deepfake videos. We’ve seen many prominent figures become victims, such as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and former Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz recently.
“What I want to highlight here is that 63,652 is a substantial number, and it is based on complaints we received. However, I believe there’s much more out there. Therefore, it’s crucial to educate the public to be more vigilant and considerate, always verify information, and refrain from sharing if they are unsure,” she said during the MADANI Adopted Village Programme at Dewan Raya FELDA Bukit Permai, Kulai, here today.
Teo made the remarks when asked about fraud statistics on social media and deepfakes involving several notable figures in the country.
She said many scams took the form of ‘Investment Guru’ schemes, such as one involving Zeti Akhtar, where she supposedly ‘shared’ her experience and tips on investments to lure victims into investment scams.
“In reality, this is just a trick to get people to join their (scammers) WhatsApp groups, eventually falling prey to investment fraud. Statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) also show that investment scams are the most prevalent type of scam,” she said.
Teo, who is also Kulai MP, called on online platform providers like TikTok and META to review and enhance their monitoring efforts following the increase of harmful fraudulent online content, particularly involving AI.
“It’s not that AI-generated content cannot be used, but we hope they can think of ways to at least include a note in the posts indicating that the content is AI-generated. They have to bear responsibility to ensure the content created is genuine,” she said.
Earlier, Teo posted on Facebook urging the public not to fall for the dissemination of deepfake videos titled ‘Zeti’s Lifetime Investment Secrets’ in Mandarin.
In the fake video, ‘Zeti’ introduces herself as an individual who has worked in the financial sector for over 40 years, shaped Malaysia’s monetary policies and witnessed significant economic changes.
The video invites viewers to join an online community to ‘learn and grow together’, offering stock tips and economic insights to help users understand how national policies and market changes affect investments.