MUAR: The public has been warned to stay cautious against scam links falsely claiming to offer the RM100 one-off cash assistance under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiative. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching emphasised that these deceptive links aim to steal personal information.
Scammers are using convincing tactics, including fake posters with official-looking elements such as Malaysia MADANI and Bersama Malaysiaku logos. “One such example is the link BantuanNegara.com, which falsely claims to provide official information about the RM100 SARA aid and prompts users to submit their personal information. The Ministry of Finance confirmed yesterday that this link is fake,“ she said.
Teo advised the public to verify government links by checking for the ‘.gov.my’ domain. “If the information truly comes from the government, the link will typically end with ‘.gov.my’ - where ‘gov’ stands for government,“ she told reporters after attending the MADANI Community Service programme.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has already taken action to block the fraudulent link following numerous complaints. Authorities urge the public to report suspicious messages and avoid sharing personal details through unverified sources.
Teo said that such scams often evolve by creating new websites with similar names, such as ‘BantuanNegara1.com’ or ‘BantuanNegara2.com’, and urged the public to remain vigilant.
She also stressed that no money will be deposited into e-wallets or Touch ‘n Go accounts. Instead, eligible MyKad holders only need to present their identification cards at participating outlets, including Lotus’s, Mydin, 99 Speedmart and selected grocery stores - to access the benefits.
“The primary role of the MyKad in this programme is solely to verify the identity of recipients. It has no connection to any e-wallet platform, so there’s no need to worry if your MyKad isn’t linked to certain applications,” Teo said.
She also urged the public to rely only on official websites or verified social media accounts of government agencies, such as the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communications for the latest and most accurate information.
“Our tagline for fake news is ‘If you’re not sure, don’t share.’ Today, I want to add: ‘If you’re not sure, don’t click,’” she added. - Bernama
