Irene Wong urges public vigilance and stronger enforcement to curb fake news and scams on social media

Sibu: The public is urged to remain vigilant when using social media, particularly Facebook, which has recently become a platform for the spread of fake news and scams.

“Scam tactics on Facebook have become increasingly rampant, taking advantage of the platform’s account registration process, which does not always require verification of real identities.

“This situation enables ill-intentioned individuals to create fake accounts, impersonate online sellers and carry out fraudulent transactions,” said Special Assistant to Sibu MP Oscar Ling Chai Yew, Irene Wong Lee Ting.

Wong warned that scammers often direct victims to click on high-risk links.

“Once personal information is entered, users risk data breaches and financial losses,” she said.

According to Wong, the Sibu Parliamentary Service Centre has handled several cases involving significant losses.

“In one instance, a victim was cheated after purchasing fruits through Facebook and clicking on a suspicious link, resulting in the loss of money,” she said.

She added that love scams remain a concern, with syndicates using fabricated “high-profile” identities to build trust with victims over time before exploiting the supposed romantic relationship to solicit funds.

Wong also highlighted the growing misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in spreading misinformation.

“Certain parties are now using AI to create fabricated images and videos accompanied by statements never made by the individuals concerned, before circulating them widely online.

“Because of the high level of visual authenticity, many people find it difficult to distinguish between real and fake content. This leads to misunderstandings and confusion within society,” she said, adding that perpetrators often hide behind fake accounts to create a negative online environment.

In response, Wong called on the public to exercise greater caution when engaging in online transactions involving personal information or finances, and to verify the sources of news before believing or sharing it.

She also urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to strengthen legislation and monitoring mechanisms to hold platforms involved in fraudulent activities accountable.

Wong suggested establishing a special task force to investigate and curb fake accounts, fake news, and online scams to ensure a safer, cleaner digital environment.

“Social media should be a platform for accurate and up-to-date information, not a space where users must constantly guard against scams and misinformation,” she said.