KULAI, Nov 2 – Malaysians are urged to stay alert to fake online donation appeals as scammers increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) to create misleading images and stories.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said fraudsters were exploiting people’s sympathy and generosity to collect money through fake donation campaigns.
She advised social media users to check the authenticity of donation appeals before making any contributions.
“Netizens must be digitally literate, exercise caution and always verify information before making donations,” she said.
Teo spoke to reporters after a working visit to SJKT Ladang Kulai Besar in Kulai.
AI Images Used to Deceive Donors
Teo said scammers were using AI-generated visuals to create emotional content that could mislead the public.
Some suspicious posts reportedly showed distressing scenes alongside QR codes linked to bank accounts. These posts encouraged people to make donations.
However, social media users noticed inconsistencies in some of the images, raising concerns that they had been created using AI.
Teo also revealed that her ministry had received complaints from people whose photographs and names were used without permission to solicit donations.
MCMC Removes More Than 170,000 Scam Posts
Statistics from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) showed that social media platforms received 174,099 requests to remove scam-related posts as of Oct 15 this year.
This compares with 102,113 requests recorded throughout last year.
Of the requests received this year, 170,633 posts were removed. This represents a compliance rate of about 98 per cent.
Teo said MCMC would take action against fraudulent content following complaints, including requesting social media platforms to remove the posts.
She also advised people whose identities or photographs had been misused to lodge police reports. This could help authorities investigate the cases and trace the bank account holders involved.
The public was also encouraged to report suspicious online activities to MCMC or the relevant authorities.
RM150,000 Allocated for Tamil Schools in Kulai
Separately, Teo announced an allocation of RM150,000 from the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) to support Tamil primary schools in the Kulai district.
The funding will provide five 86-inch interactive smartboards and related equipment.
SJKT Kulai Besar, the district’s largest Tamil primary school with 830 pupils, received two smartboards. SJKT Ladang Kelan, SJKT Ladang Kulai Oil Palm and SJKT Sedenak each received one.
New School Building Expected by June
During the visit, Teo also inspected construction of a new three-storey building at SJKT Kulai Besar.
The RM4.3 million project is funded by the Education Ministry. It will include an open hall on the ground floor and eight classrooms on the upper floors.
The building is expected to be handed over to the school by June next year.
Source : BERNAMA | Rewritten By Minutesmy
