As a continuous effort to raise public awareness of the risk of scams and their responsibilities to safeguard their banking accounts, Public Bank continues to spread awareness on scams and fraudulent activities by launching the PB Scam Prevention Campaign on 20 June 2024 at Menara Public Bank.

To amplify the ongoing scam prevention efforts, Public Bank is introducing the PB Scam Rangers, a mobile team comprising cyber security fraud experts who will travel around Malaysia to raise awareness, educate, and update the public on the latest scam trends.

Stationed at selected Public Bank branches, the PB Scam Rangers will engage with customers and the public with educational sessions, quizzes, interactive educational displays, and sharing of information where prizes and souvenirs will also be given away.

"Public Bank has been creating awareness of the latest fraud trends through email blasts, social media, light box security alerts, online security microsites, and mobile banking platforms with various content as well as through physical presence by participating in various roadshows and events. Through these consistent educational campaigns, we hope the public at large is well prepared with the essential knowledge regarding the various categories of scam modus operandi to prevent them from falling victim to scams," said Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr Tay Ah Lek, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Public Bank.

Public Bank's ongoing effort to strengthen banking security includes allowing customers to submit information on fraud or suspicious activity via the 'E-Fraud' form, which is available on the Public Bank login website.

As an additional option for reporting fraud scam incidents, customers can deactivate their PBe User ID and/or cancel the Credit/Debit or ATM card to prevent further losses should they notice any unusual account activity or suspect their accounts have been compromised.

In response to the growing number of consumers duped by phishing attempts, Public Bank has promptly integrated a new function called "Report Phishing Link" onto its website.

This function enables reporting of any dubious website or application that disseminates inaccurate information about Public Bank. With a dedicated channel and round-the-clock case management hotline, customers can also report any suspicious or fraudulent activities related to their accounts.

Public Bank has also introduced the "Kill Switch" function via PBe internet banking and PB engage MY mobile application to prevent unauthorised access.

The "Kill Switch" is one of Bank Negara Malaysia's key measures for combating financial scams. This new enhancement is a central switch temporarily disables all features, including Online Banking, ATM Card, and Credit/Debit Card access. After it has been disabled, the Kill Switch can immediately prevent unauthorised access to a customer's account through a single access point.

Apart from implementing various enhancements and these banking security measures, Public Bank has also kept track of reported mule accounts in the industry. Based on the mule database, approximately over 1 million customers, or 3.2 million transactions totalling about RM1.6 billion, were prevented from falling into fraudsters' mule accounts as of May 2024.

In addition, the Public Bank's transaction cooling-off period allows the Bank to review and assess transactions that display abnormal characteristics. This additional step is designed to minimise the risk of unauthorised transactions and potential fraudulent activities, ensuring the safety of customers' funds.

Since the introduction of the transaction cooling-off period, over 400 customers' transactions valued at approximately RM 2.0 million have been prevented from being scammed.

Public Bank will continue to work with the public to keep them informed of the latest updates regarding scams and fraud.

Meanwhile, customers are advised to remain vigilant and never disclose their User ID, password, and answers to the Challenge Questions to anyone. As fraudsters can initiate threatening calls impersonating enforcement officers, customers are advised not to be frightened by such threatening fake calls and to cut-off the call immediately.

If they experience any irregularities in their bank accounts or suspected fraudulent activity, they should immediately contact the 24-Hour Case Management, Digital Support Hotline at 03-2177 3555 or the National Scam Response Centre at 997 between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. 

This content is provided by Public Bank Berhad.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

Interested in having your press releases, exclusive interviews, or branded content articles on Malaysiakini? For more information, contact [email protected] or [email protected].