Online shopping scams in Malaysia hit record 3,500 in Q1: Ninja Van

This came after the company documented more than 17,000 parcel scam incidents last year. Most cases involved cash-on-delivery scams, where consumers paid for unordered items, according to Malaysian tech news website Zen The Geek.

Other prevalent schemes include "ghost scams," where victims are deceived into buying nonexistent products or services advertised online, and phishing attempts through text messages, with scammers impersonating the company.

Ninja Van employees transfer a package. Photo courtesy of the company

Ninja Van chief sales officer Fariz Maswan said that victims were primarily from the older generation, often tricked into purchasing items like herbal products and amulets promoted on social media.

These victims either received nothing or got items different from what was advertised, he said, as reported by The Star.

"It's always a case of items being offered at a price that is just too good to be true," he said, noting that victims could lose up to MYR1,000, though losses typically averaged around MYR200.

Raymon Ram, a fraud risk management specialist, highlighted the broader impact of scams.

"Scams erode public trust — not only in businesses, but also in the institutions meant to protect us," he said. "They exploit weak governance, digital blind spots, and the lack of consumer awareness."

He explained that in phishing cases, victims would receive a message claiming they had an undelivered Ninja Van parcel.

"Victims are then directed to a fraudulent website designed to steal money from their bank accounts."

For cash-on-delivery scams, Fariz explained that scammers often pose as delivery personnel, convincing victims to pay for a parcel by claiming it was ordered by a spouse or family member.

"Scammers would exploit the sense of familiarity that victims have for the person they think the parcel is for."

Ninja Van has launched ScamMinar Panel Discussion, an initiative to combat scam. It also partners with the Royal Malaysia Police to prevent fraud.

Nationwide, Malaysia reported over 35,300 scams last year, resulting in financial losses of MYR1.6 billion (US$378 million), according to the Commercial Crime Investigation Department.

The loss went up 29% compared to 2023, which was "alarming," according to department director Commercial Crime Investigation Department, as cited by The New Straits Times.

Scams ranged from fraudulent phone calls and scam messages to fake investment schemes promising high returns, he added.