The National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) will develop an AI application that allows the public to check suspicious phone numbers, bank accounts and links before making financial transactions.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the initiative while tabling Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat on 9 October.
The application forms part of efforts to detect scammers and cybercriminals earlier. However, the budget speech did not specify a funding allocation, launch date or technical details for the application.
Anwar also said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has blocked more than 5.7 billion scam-related calls and SMS messages.
The NSRC began operating on 12 October 2022 as a joint initiative involving the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NFCC), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), MCMC, financial institutions and telecommunications companies.
Scam victims can contact the NSRC through its 997 hotline to report fraudulent transactions and enable authorities to trace and freeze funds where possible.
The centre has operated around the clock since relocating to MCMC Tower 2 in Cyberjaya on 17 November 2025.
Police and commercial bank teams work together at the facility to coordinate responses to financial scams.
In 2025, the NSRC handled 146,167 complaint calls and froze 138,915 accounts linked to fraudulent activities, according to the MADANI portal.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the centre also prevented RM34.05 million from reaching scam syndicates.
Separately, the public can already check suspicious phone numbers, bank account numbers and company names through PDRM’s Semak Mule portal.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Malaysia, based on image by mohammadhridoy_11 via Magnific
