If you have just realised you were scammed, take a breath — and then move fast. The single thing that decides whether you get your money back is how quickly you act, and the first move is one phone call.
Do not waste time messaging the scammer, posting a warning online, or gathering every screenshot first. That comes later. Right now, the money may still be sitting in the account you sent it to, and there is a short window to freeze it before it disappears.
Important
The 60-second version: call 997 now.
997 is the National Scam Response Centre — the police, Bank Negara Malaysia and the banks on one line, open 24 hours. Tell them you've been scammed and give the account or number you paid. They can ask the receiving bank to freeze the money, and your call counts as a police report. Make this call before you do anything else on this page.
The first hour: exactly what to do
Work through these in order. Steps 1 and 2 are the ones that actually protect your money — do them before anything else.
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Call 997 immediately. Say clearly: "I have been scammed / I transferred money to a scammer." Give them the recipient's bank account number or e-wallet/phone number, the amount, and when you sent it. The National Scam Response Centre will start the process of freezing the receiving account. This call is your official police report — you don't need to file a separate one to begin.
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Freeze your own account and cards. Open your banking app and freeze your cards / account, or call your bank's official 24-hour line (the number on the back of your card). Change your online-banking password and log out or revoke any device or session you don't recognise. If a card is linked to a compromised e-wallet, remove it so no further reloads can happen.
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Gather your evidence — but only after steps 1 and 2. Save screenshots of the chat, the payment confirmation, the recipient's account/phone number, the transaction reference, and any website or number the scammer used. The NSRC and your bank will ask for these.
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Report the account or number on Semak Mule (semakmule.rmp.gov.my) so the police database is updated and others are warned before they pay.
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Follow up in writing with your bank. Keep the report reference number from your 997 call. If a licensed bank or insurer is involved and isn't responding, escalate to BNMLINK on 1-300-88-5465 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm).
Tip
What to have ready when you call 997: your own bank details, the recipient's account number or phone number, the exact amount and time of the transfer, and how the scammer contacted you. Having these to hand makes the freeze request faster — but if you don't have all of them, call anyway. Don't delay the call to hunt for a reference number.
Two situations — the difference decides your refund
Not every scam is the same in the eyes of the rules, and this affects whether you have a refund right.
You transferred the money yourself (an "authorised push payment" scam). You were deceived into sending it — a fake investment, a "policeman" demanding a transfer, a fake seller. Because you authorised the payment, there is no automatic refund right. Your recovery depends entirely on the police and the receiving bank freezing the funds through 997 before they're moved. This is why speed matters so much here.
Someone took the money without your permission (an unauthorised transaction). Your card, account, or e-wallet was used by someone else — often after phishing or a stolen OTP. Under Bank Negara Malaysia's Electronic Fund Transfer rules, the bank or e-wallet operator must refund unauthorised transactions you report promptly, provided you were not negligent (for example, you did not share your PIN, password, or OTP). Report it to the operator immediately and file the police report — most operators require the report before processing a refund.
In both cases the first two steps are identical: call 997, lock down your accounts. The difference only changes what happens next.
If it was an e-wallet or bank card
For unauthorised transactions on Touch 'n Go eWallet, GrabPay, Boost, a bank card, or any licensed wallet:
- Change your PIN and app password inside the app straight away.
- Report the unauthorised transaction via in-app support — note the time and transaction references.
- File the police report (your 997 call covers this) — most operators require it before refunding.
- Escalate to BNMLINK (1-300-88-5465) if the operator doesn't respond, or doesn't resolve your dispute within its stated timeframe.
- Revoke linked card access in your bank app so no further reloads can be pulled.
Under BNM's rules a licensed operator must refund unauthorised transactions reported promptly where you weren't negligent — so report fast and keep every reference number.
Watch out for the "recovery scam"
Warning
If someone contacts you after the scam offering to get your money back — it's a second scam.
Scammers keep lists of recent victims. Days or weeks later, a "cyber agent", "lawyer", "hacker", or even a fake fellow-victim will message you promising to recover your loss for an upfront fee. Real recovery only ever goes through 997, the police, and your bank — and never asks you to pay a private individual first. Don't send another cent. Report the approach on 997 too.
Key contacts — in the order you'll need them
| Step | Who | How to reach |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Freeze the money + report | National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) | Call 997 (24 hours; counts as a police report) |
| 2. Freeze your own account | Your bank's 24-hour hotline | Number on the back of your bank card |
| 3. Report the account/number | Semak Mule (PDRM CCID) | semakmule.rmp.gov.my |
| 4. Escalate a licensed bank/insurer | Bank Negara Malaysia (BNMLINK) | 1-300-88-5465 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm) |
Being scammed is not a sign you were careless — these scripts are designed to catch careful people on a bad day. What you do in the next hour matters far more than how it happened. Make the call to 997, lock down your accounts, and let the response start working while the money may still be frozen where it landed.
For the bigger picture — how these scams work and how to spot the next one before it costs you — read our full guide to financial scams in Malaysia.