S3EP9 – Living in the digital economy: Balancing convenience and consumer safety

Name: S3EP9 – Living in the digital economy: Balancing convenience and consumer safety | Life & the City
Uploaded: 2026-10-26T04:41:14+00:00
Duration: 45 min 17 s
Channel: The Star

00:04It seems we can't go any day these days without hearing about scams. Scams are everywhere. More

00:10and more people are falling for them. But why? Welcome to another episode of Life in the City

00:16Podcast. I am your host, Farid Wahab. And today we are joined by Muhammad Shahani Abdullah,

00:22who is Honorary Secretary of My Digital Consumer, who's come to join us to talk about scams.

00:30And digital protections for consumers. So thank you for joining us, Cik Shahani.

00:34Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.

00:35Yeah, I understand you drove all the way from Mentakak this morning just to come to Petaling Jaya

00:41to talk with us. So I really appreciate the effort, Cik Shahani. Before we begin, I think

00:48I just want to walk our listeners through some of the things you've done in the past, right?

00:55I understand you were former Deputy President of Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association,

01:01FOMCA, between 2012 and 2016. And you also had served as former Commissioner of Human Rights

01:08Commission on Malaysia, SUHAKA, between 2010 and 2013. I think before we begin, before we

01:14go any further, maybe you can tell us a bit more about what is my digital consumer and what

01:19is this about? Rabin, I got involved in Consumer Association while waiting for my MC results.

01:28So I became a member. Then after that, I went to university in 1976, did my diploma. And then

01:38later, I continued my degree. Then when I started work with the GRC, I got active in Consumer Association.

01:49That the minute I started with Consumer Association Pahang as a committee member, secretary at the

01:59district level, then later as a council member at the state level, secretary, then president. Then when I got

02:07transferred to Kuala Lumpur, well, for my job, then I got active as an affiliate of FOMCA. So I got

02:17active in FOMCA. Started with council member, secretary general, then finally as a deputy president. And I'm

02:26still with FOMCA as an affiliate member. And I'm affiliated through the Malaysian Digital Economy

02:38Consumer Association. It's an affiliate of FOMCA. And our focus is to promote digitalization among consumers,

02:48create awareness, create awareness, and also to promote consumer protection in digital platforms. And this scam

03:01is actually the major issue, threat to consumers. And we currently, I mean, we are more on policy

03:10advocacy. Because that is actually lack of funding by any government organizations. So we concentrate on policy

03:26advocacy on digital economy related to consumers.

03:34Okay. Actually, I have prepared a lot of questions for you, Shani, but thank you for the introduction.

03:40Before we go, before we dive deeper into the topic, I just want to read out some of the key

03:45figures, which I think will help highlight just how important of a problem scam is in our country.

03:51So one, according to news reports, Malaysia recorded more than 66,000 fraud cases in 2025, involving losses

03:59worth up to 2.97 billion. This figure is up from around 35,000 cases and 1.57 billion of

04:08losses reported in 2024.

04:10In July 2025, MCMC said it received 121 complaints about scam advertisements, misusing the names and images

04:19of high profile figures. So the Commission said some, no, Securities Commission said online

04:29service providers with MCMC's assistance took down 66,000 pieces of scam related content in 2024. So the number is

04:37quite staggering, Shani. Yeah, that is one MBB one year.

04:43So, if you've been reading the Star or any other newspapers for that matter, you would, I think chances are

04:48you'd find at least

04:49one or two scam cases a week, probably more. And they are lawyers, they are teachers, they are doctors,

04:58smart people, you know, ordinary people. So why are scams becoming more important, Shani?

05:04And then why are, you know, so called smart people falling for them?

05:07I mean, I mean, when I started, you know, during my work life, I also worked in the National Consumer

05:16Complaint Centre. And my first day in my job as a CEO of National Consumer Complaint Centre was a report

05:26from a lecturer being scammed in an investment scheme around bangsa. And the first day in the job,

05:35and I'm very familiar with that Secretary General of the Minister of Domestic Trade, then I just,

05:44those days, know what's up. So I had to SMS to him about this. And he also, he's like, just

05:51a few weeks in his job,

05:53and he immediately reacted, and, and the complainant got the money back. I mean, we were new and we were

06:03so

06:03gung-ho and... Sorry, what year was this? Yeah. What year was this? Around 2007. So, the, the, I mean,

06:15the qualification

06:16of the victims are no different. Of course, the, the technology is more understood by the, those actually

06:28more familiar and educated. But our scams are, I mean, he, this, planned and, I mean, executed to overcome any,

06:46many, um, um, um, I mean, educational background. So, um, many, many, even I got scammed, no?

06:58I, I saw an advertisement in the social media. Um, it is a wheelbarrow. So I'm agriculture background,

07:07I'm interested in a lot of things. I want to use it. And you wanted to buy, uh, I bought

07:12it,

07:12online. It's very nice, no? Wheelbarrow with two, two tires. And it's only less than 300 ringgit.

07:20So immediately I, uh, purchased it. But what I received is a nail clipper. How did that happen?

07:32I mean, so then, okay, um, I went to refund. I won the refund. I go to the post-Malaysia

07:39because post-Malaysia

07:41was actually the, the, the deliver, I mean, the, the, the, who delivered the nail clipper.

07:48So when I went to the counter, they said it will take around 100 ringgit to return the, uh, the

07:55product.

07:56So I decided, uh, not to waste my, uh, of 100 ringgit to returning the thing. Again, when I actually,

08:06uh,

08:07check on the identity, there is no identity. And of course I complained to the platform.

08:16How many did it happen? Like maybe five, six years ago, there was no response from the platform.

08:22So, uh, uh, then when I, uh, check into, uh, this kind of, uh, scams, there is no proper mechanism,

08:33uh, to, um, handle, uh, complaints. Not clear. Um, so, um, it is not that people do not want to,

08:47uh, pursue their cases,

08:49but the mechanisms are not, uh, clear and easy. Um, and, um, often, uh, we hear, uh, beware of, uh,

09:02no scams.

09:03But there is very little, um, uh, requirement for the service providers, the telcos, the banks, the platforms, the marketplace,

09:17um, to ensure consumer protection.

09:22Mr. Shani, um, scams, I mean, most people say scams work two ways. Okay. One is the scammer. One is

09:28the person being scammed.

09:30So, do you think that, you know, you said that, um, the service providers are not subject to stringent requirements

09:37to safeguard their processes.

09:39Do you think we are putting too much responsibility on consumers to protect themselves?

09:43Do you think there's a disproportionate amount of responsibility placed on consumers?

09:47I mean, that is so. I mean, what, what we see, you know, always there's a campaign for the consumers.

09:53But there is, uh, very little, uh, upon the service providers.

10:00I mean, during my early days, I was involved in this, uh, you know, digital, online, um, uh, communication, multimedia,

10:09uh, segment,

10:10where then, uh, EU was actually, uh, I mean, actually imposes the requirement for all devices, communication devices.

10:23They have a, uh, identity called EME number, EME number.

10:28And in EU, the EME number is recorded by the telcos.

10:33Meaning, if there is an issue, uh, uh, related to a number, and the number will have the identity of

10:43the device from which device that communication initiated.

10:48So, they can block the device.

10:52Meaning, it is a tethered cause to the scammer.

10:56Once a device is blocked, he has to find another, another device to continue the scam.

11:02Yeah, yeah.

11:02You have to think twice before you scam somewhere.

11:04Yeah, so it's a cost.

11:05So, in EU, they are adopting that, uh, mechanism.

11:10But, in Malaysia, until today, that EME number is not being adopted for protection.

11:17Even if there is a, uh, record on EME number, any device is worthless if anyone steals it.

11:25Because it can be traced.

11:28So, I mean, these are actually, um, measures which actually ensure, um, uh, I mean, responsible, uh, actions.

11:39No, uh, fake accounts, fake numbers.

11:42It'll be minimized.

11:45So, this is actually one of the basic, uh, uh, measure.

11:49We can actually, um, limit this proliferation of, uh, scams or, um, I mean, deceitful activities in the marketplace.

12:00So, Shani, um, say a scam happens through social media platforms, right?

12:04So, um, like, like you said, you, you, you, you try to buy something, a wheelbarrow from Facebook.

12:09You know, I'm sure other people have gone through something similar.

12:11Um, how do you think, I mean, how much responsibility do you think the providers, platform providers should take?

12:18And if, if there is a responsibility to be assumed by them, what, what sort of responsibility should they take?

12:25I mean, uh, I mean, uh, even, uh, even we, we hear about ESG, uh, all this compliance.

12:33It's, I mean, more looks like, you know, we, uh, tick the box, reporting.

12:37But we don't see the performance, uh, in the, uh, uh, I mean, business, uh, uh, activities.

12:48Um, consumers lose, I mean, they lose money, you know, real money.

12:56They lose, but the service providers, I mean, if they, they are proven to be, uh, I mean, responsible, then

13:08they have to pay for the losses.

13:10Otherwise, generally, they go scot-free, yeah.

13:15Again, there should be, um, I mean, monetary, monetary impact, you know, some kind of a penalty.

13:24And also, ratings. Ratings will impact, uh, their, uh, share, share valuation, or other, other kind of, uh, valuations.

13:37So, they will take serious about, um, consumer protection measures.

13:43Okay, basic.

13:44When, uh, uh, uh, businessmen opens, uh, uh, uh, business, physically, they have to put up a signage.

13:55And, uh, um, companies commission, uh, uh, company act, uh, requires the, uh, businessmen to put up a signage, which

14:08includes the registration number.

14:11Meaning, it is a measure to prevent fake business.

14:17So, how come for online business, there is no similar requirement?

14:26I mean, if physical, any day, we can go to the physical business to reach the businessman.

14:33But online, these are the, uh, features we can track the businessman.

14:40Meaning, uh, registration, name, address, email.

14:46I mean, without email, how can we trace them?

14:49Uh, so, again, we have a different law for online business.

14:57E, e-commerce.

14:59Hmm.

15:00Why we have to have two agencies regulating business?

15:05Whether it is online or physical, it should be under the same, uh, authority.

15:12Then, we can actually, uh, minimize all these no duplications, variations, which actually impact the interest of the consumers.

15:22Um, so, um, so, there are, you know, physically, there are already, uh, protections, but the similar protection, I mean,

15:32uh, features are not in the online.

15:34And, again, we are actually waking up after, you know, we, uh, terantuk, baru, uh, tengada.

15:41So, that kind of issue.

15:43Uh, being reactive.

15:44Yeah, reacting.

15:45Uh, firefighting.

15:47You know, if we have adopted what is for physical business, these issues will not rise.

15:54No, even a penjaja, uh, hawker has to have some kind of a business registration or, uh, and have to

16:02have license from the local authority.

16:04Why this kind of, uh, measures are not imposed on online, uh, traders, marketplace traders.

16:11So, this is actually the basics, uh, to prevent, uh, the, how mean, proliferation of, uh, scams.

16:19I thought I want to, um, I want to share, I want to share a situation of mine.

16:25I had something that happened to me three or four years ago with our listeners.

16:28Uh, I don't know, maybe it will help them if it happens to them.

16:31You said you bought something from a social media platform.

16:35Um, I did something similar.

16:37Um, but luckily for me, I did get the item that I ordered, but I had used my credit card

16:43to, to make, to make that purchase.

16:44So, a few weeks later, I started, I began receiving SMSs, text messages from the bank saying that I had

16:51made, um, this amount of transaction.

16:54It was for 500 ringgit transactions.

16:57So, totaling to 2,000 ringgit.

16:59So, I only realized it a day, 24 hours after, after the transactions took place.

17:04Because, you know, I sometimes don't read all my text messages, right?

17:07Because there was a lot coming in.

17:09So, then I called the bank.

17:11I called the number behind the card.

17:13And I said, I have gotten this notification and I have not spent any of this.

17:19So, I want to know what I can do next.

17:20So, then the bank or whoever I spoke on the phone said, well, you're lucky because you've made this report

17:26within 72 hours.

17:29If you've made it beyond that, then you are liable to pay that.

17:33So, they say, it's okay.

17:34Uh, we're going to give you a form, fill it up, scan it, and then email it back to us.

17:38So, then this, uh, we will process everything and the transaction will be canceled.

17:43So, luckily for me, two weeks later, the transaction was canceled.

17:46So, um, I'm just saying for people out there, if you've been in this situation, that's one way you can

17:52resolve this.

17:53You know, because imagine that was only 2,000.

17:55What if that, you know, that, that transaction had gone?

17:58What if it had gone for much longer and I didn't realize it?

18:01So, I think it might also be a good practice to, you know, regularly check your, I mean, if you

18:06have, uh, uh, online banking.

18:08My mom, for example, doesn't have online banking because she's very scared about this kind of thing.

18:13So, so, so, yeah, I mean, it's up to you, I guess.

18:15I can't live without the convenience, but the convenience comes with the risk, as they say.

18:19Okay. Um, so, let's move on to, uh, data protection.

18:25So, nowadays, everywhere you go, um, even when you go visit someone, someone, someone else's home, you have to, some,

18:32some, some, I know, some places do require you to surrender your, your IC or even, they even take pictures

18:38of your IC, your driving license.

18:40I mean, that, that's, that's one example.

18:43And a lot of places now require you to put in your, your, your, your personal digital data.

18:49So, do you think that makes us more vulnerable to, to scams and, and, and, and how so, I mean,

18:55what, what can we, can be done about that?

18:57I mean, this is actually the basic, uh, uh, awareness about, uh, data protection.

19:05To the, I mean, we have PDPA 2010, um, and we don't see, um, adequate enforcement and awareness.

19:20Uh, and the basic, um, um, problem with PDPA is excludes government, where a GDPR is enforced through the whole

19:34world.

19:35How come this is basic, uh, principle of PDPA, I mean, uh, personal data protection is not adapted in Malaysia?

19:45And, and most of the leakages, uh, are actually originated from the government databases.

19:53Uh, so that is already a big, um, uh, loophole for our product, uh, personal data protection.

20:05And, and other, I mean, other, others, uh, actually, even do, I mean, when, when, uh, governments excluded, so they

20:14are the enforcers.

20:15And, and do they, uh, uh, really, um, um, um, understand, um, the, the measures or the, um, uh, enforced,

20:30I mean, um, practices that actually, um, um, um, I mean, go against the personal data, uh, protection.

20:43Um, um, so as you mentioned, um, um, the security guards take photograph of your ID.

20:52That is already a major, uh, uh, breach of PDPA.

20:58But when we, uh, protest at the, uh, uh, security gate, and they, they, they are, they are adamant.

21:08If you don't, you cannot enter.

21:11Hmm.

21:12I mean, same thing, you know, when I sold my car, you know, my old car, it just broke down,

21:18you know, the highway, so I had to carry it by a tow truck.

21:21So I said, okay, I had to sell it.

21:24So I, no second car wanted to buy my old car.

21:30It's already like, uh, 14 years old.

21:34So I had to sell to the online, uh, companies, which actually do the, uh, car purchase.

21:41I mean, when I went to the office to, uh, complete the transaction, they took a photo stat of my

21:50IC, my, my card.

21:53I mean, they are an online company also depending on a photo stat copy for authenticate I am the real

22:04person.

22:04I mean, they can anytime use a, uh, uh, card reader to authenticate my identity, but why they need to

22:13make a photo copy?

22:14So these are actually practices, which actually, of course, in the, uh, I mean, uh, forms, they say, uh, they

22:24comply to PDPA and all that.

22:26But what happens to the photo copy of my IC?

22:31So, so there is very, um, uh, poor enforcement of PDPA in, out, in the marketplace, which makes everyone see,

22:46oh, it's normal.

22:48I mean, the practices which are actually contravening PDPA becomes normal.

22:54So, again, like, um, the residential, no, uh, uh, condominiums or apartments, which practice such, uh, uh, no, uh, um,

23:08security measures, uh, under, um, uh, the commissioner of buildings of local authorities.

23:17Do commissioner of buildings of local authorities aware of this?

23:22So these are actually, uh, I mean, responsibilities of certain, uh, um, governmental, um, agencies, which are actually responsible to

23:37enforce compliance of various, uh, legal requirements.

23:42But they are not seem to, not seem to be doing it, uh, meaning, uh, COB should educate the JMBs

23:52to adopt proper measures and their, uh, security, uh, posts.

23:58So, otherwise, it is just going to go on, no, by, uh, I mean, maybe the securities are not involved,

24:05but the data is captured in their servers or in their tabs and who is monitoring, uh, the storage or,

24:18uh, sharing of those data.

24:21So, uh, uh, this has to be, uh, I mean, as always, we hear a whole of a government approach.

24:29If the whole of a government is not aware of this risk, we'll have, uh, uh, agency dealing on, uh,

24:37scams, which actually is not coordinating with the whole of a government,

24:43and which are actually responsible, uh, to, um, handle the data, uh, safely and responsibly.

24:52I think that's, that's a, that's a good point.

24:55I mean, um, because I think people at this point are aware that we shouldn't surrender our data and our

25:02digital data so easily.

25:03But, you know, it seems that everywhere we go now, it's impossible.

25:08Like, you want to live in this world?

25:09You have to do it.

25:10You have to comply.

25:11You have no choice.

25:12If I can add one more item.

25:15I mean, uh, when you go to a government, uh, premise, um, they will ask for your IC.

25:24They will keep your IC and they issue a ID to enter the, uh, premise.

25:31But if you refer to the restricted area, uh, law, there is a law on restricted areas, uh, actually it

25:41refers to the, I mean, certain sensitive, uh, premises of, uh, government, uh, and it is comes under this law.

25:49But in the law, it's stated, whoever manning the post has to cite the identity of the visitor and record

26:01and return the ID and they issue their ID to enter the premise.

26:09Meaning, they cannot hold our MyCard.

26:12I mean, it is in the law.

26:14But even those personnel do not comply to that law.

26:19They never return the IC only because to ensure we return their ID.

26:26It's just, uh, to make sure we return the ID.

26:30If we don't leave our ID at the post, we may not return the ID.

26:35I mean, it can happen, but the law says they must return the ID.

26:40But again, all these posts never practice the law which actually govern their, uh, uh, I mean, uh, actions.

26:51Yeah, so to add to that, no, it's this, actually, this law exists beyond, before PDPA.

26:58So, that is, uh, I mean, the risk because we are not practicing what is in the law.

27:04I think, I mean, going back to what I said earlier, it relates to this.

27:09Yeah, um, like I said, people are aware we shouldn't be surrendering our, our, our physical, uh, physical identification,

27:17our digital information.

27:19But it seems like everywhere we go nowadays, this is what you have to do.

27:23You want to get a SIM card.

27:24You have to, you know, fill out some form, put in some, some, some, uh, some information.

27:29You want to do this.

27:29You want to do that.

27:30Everything nowadays requires you to, to surrender some, some amount of digital information.

27:36So, Mr. Shani, what do you think, um, uh, consumers should be able to reasonably expect from service providers?

27:46I mean, they say, I've given my data to you, what I can expect, what I should be able to

27:51expect you to do with it.

27:53I mean, we can expect, uh, the service providers to comply to the laws that govern them.

28:02Um, but if they are, uh, not impacted for their, uh, oversight or negligence or, um, uh, maybe ignorance,

28:16they are not going to, uh, make sure that the compliance is there by all the level of in India,

28:24in their, um, no oppression.

28:28So, there should be, I mean, when there is a, uh, report related to the service providers,

28:35there should be some kind of a rating.

28:36One is actually there should be penalties.

28:39I mean, penalties is one of.

28:41Then there should be some kind of rating under, uh, I mean, we should come up with certain indexes,

28:48you know, related to consumer protection or scam prevention.

28:52There should be a rating, you know, if we go into any online apps or so, we see which app

29:00is good,

29:00means higher rating, we, we are more confident.

29:04So, there should be rating for all service providers.

29:07You know, SKMM should issue, uh, ratings for all their, uh, license holders.

29:13Only then, they will, um, I mean, ensure compliance.

29:20I mean, enforcement is not the only way, um, to ensure compliance.

29:27There should be also this kind of a ratings, um, that actually, which has direct impact to their valuation,

29:35uh, or their, uh, their image, which actually will promote compliance.

29:43Right. I think the bigger question now, I mean, going back to, you said compliance.

29:47Compliance to me sounds like what the government can do from the end.

29:50Okay. If you fail to ensure this level of protection, this is the penalty that will come to you.

29:55But other than that, what about people who have lost some, I don't know, have, have incurred some monetary losses?

30:01Should they be compensated?

30:03I mean, it, I guess it depends on, on which, what services and what companies they're dealing with.

30:07But should there be some levels of compensation?

30:10And, and, and, and if so, how are we going to regulate that process?

30:14Um, compensation, if, if, uh, there is actually, um, I mean, the case has been proven,

30:21the service provider, um, I mean, was responsible, um, by not having the adequate protection,

30:31then they must be compensated, but we cannot say all should be compensated.

30:37Otherwise, then consumer may not take interest in, uh, protecting their, uh, activities,

30:46not exposed to this kind of a risky, uh,

30:50They might be less responsible.

30:51Risky, uh, uh, activities.

30:54So, that, that should be, that, you know, consumer responsibility should be there.

30:58Um, again, that, the other issue is, um, the, the, uh, I mean, the traders, you know,

31:05online, uh, platforms, uh, the businesses, uh, service providers,

31:10they must, uh, comply to, um, consumer protection, uh, features and, uh, requirements.

31:21I mean, as I mentioned, the identity of the trader, I mean, if, I mean, why there is so much,

31:31uh, um, uh, bad things happening online?

31:36I mean, if your ID is so clear, you are not going to,

31:42or you are going to use very, uh, vulgar things online.

31:48When we say there is no ID, I, I, I, I mean, proper identification and they have not posted

31:55any, any posts also, but they will be coming into, uh, certain posts and telling, you know,

32:01shut down this organization.

32:03Uh, the, I mean, all the, I mean, the trivial things and also very negative things.

32:08So, must make sure all platforms, um, the users, uh, using real identity.

32:20I mean, not necessarily their name should be the real name, but when they register,

32:25the platform must make sure they are the, uh, actual person.

32:29Authentication.

32:30Authentication.

32:32Uh, meaning even, even, uh, I mean, for example, I want to, I want to share about, like,

32:38uh, people are using, uh, e-a-link services.

32:43The drivers are required to register with their documents.

32:47Okay.

32:48So they have to, uh, take the photograph, their, uh, license and all, uh, IC and all that.

32:53So they register.

32:54So their photographs also appear there.

32:56But the passengers, they can just put their iPhone.

33:04And they can abuse the drivers.

33:09Um, even they are actually reports, you know, because, because we are dealing with, uh, digital economy.

33:15So they are reports from, um, uh, from drivers.

33:20They get a, uh, request for trip.

33:23And the driver goes to the site.

33:26And there is no passenger.

33:28And they call the passenger.

33:30There's no response.

33:32They message the passenger.

33:33No response.

33:34If they cancel the trip.

33:37They get penalized.

33:38They will penalize.

33:39Again, nowadays, again, uh, this, uh, e-hailing platform should understand the location, not necessarily at that pickup point.

33:48They can put a floating location way beyond the accessible area.

33:55Meaning, it is in the, inside the building or inside, uh, uh, open area.

34:02So meaning, when the driver wants to cancel the trip, he will say, you are not at the pickup point.

34:08Yeah.

34:09It is true.

34:10So, if he insists to cancel the, uh, the booking, the driver will be penalized.

34:18Meaning, his cancellation rate will go up.

34:21When it's too high, his incentives will, uh, he won't be qualified for incentives.

34:27So, and this shouldn't happen.

34:30I mean, the, the platform owner must have mechanisms to overcome this kind of issue and must allow reporting in

34:40that, directly there so that action is taken against the passenger who is using your fake account.

34:48So, I guess what we're saying is that proper authentication of all users of that platform is a must.

34:54You know, we should know who I use.

34:56See, nowadays, what we understand, e-hailing platform, the big one, has stopped, uh, providing telephone service for customers.

35:08I mean, meaning the drivers.

35:09Meaning, you have to, you have to chat with the chat board.

35:14And, uh, the, the, the issues are not going to be resolved easily like when we, uh, when the, uh,

35:22drivers communicate with the, the customer service by phone.

35:28So, these are issues, um, which actually, again, contribute to, I mean, when the, the drivers are actually given a

35:38runaround, this is actually a scam.

35:39Um, even there were cases where the drivers have been asked to purchase certain things.

35:45I mean, there's a, it's a trip, but along the way, they messaged and called, please, I'm in the hospital,

35:51please buy this for me.

35:53Meaning, one of the items, you know, reported is that they asked to buy a top-up for their telephone.

36:04So, the driver was so kind, so he's in the hospital, so he wants a top-up, so he goes

36:10to, uh, you know, um, the community store and purchase.

36:16Along the way, the, the passenger calls and, so can you take photograph of the top-up and send to

36:23him?

36:23Um, then, then, then he realizes, I mean, there were actually other cases, uh, even the platforms mentioned, whether the

36:32drivers were scammed, but this driver was aware, no, if the number is actually exposed, then the card is no

36:40use.

36:40So, typical, so he did not, uh, give that, uh, I mean, the photograph of the top-up card, and

36:50since then, the passenger stopped responding to the driver.

36:56So, this is actually, I mean, some kind of a scam.

36:59It is a scam, it is, yeah, but a scam on a smaller scale.

37:02Because, because, because the identity is not, uh, being authenticated by the platform.

37:10I mean, it can happen in any kind of a online, uh, platform.

37:16So, so, ultimately, the identity of the users must be authenticated.

37:24So, I mean, if I refer to the e-hailing platforms, previous, no, Uber.

37:30However, it registered, the user, the passenger must have a, uh, banking card.

37:40So, you register using the banking card.

37:43So, the authentication is through the bank account.

37:48So, meaning, nobody else, you can actually, uh, whatever happens, they are, they, that something will be charged to the

37:55account.

37:56So, that actually prevents abuse from the passengers.

38:00But when there are actually platforms using cash payment, anyone can open an account without identity.

38:08So, these are things, uh, you know, the authorities, uh, the regulators must, uh, take into account to, um, uh,

38:19ensure, uh, consumer protection.

38:22Mr. Shani, we're going to have to close the podcast soon.

38:24Uh, but, uh, if, uh, but before we do that, I just want to ask, okay, in addition to proper

38:30authentication, uh, maybe you can list two other things.

38:34Two other things that you wish, uh, two other changes that you wish we could implement, uh, to create a

38:40digital, a safer digital environment for Malaysian users.

38:43Other than proper authentication, what are other things we can do?

38:48Um, I mean, authentication actually, uh, ensures, uh, the processes are, uh, secure.

38:58Uh, and again, because when the authentication is known, the, the abuse is minimized.

39:05The other thing is responsible, uh, uh, uh, I mean, uh, practices by the service providers, uh, again, we have

39:16ESG and all that, but to make it, um, uh, effective, uh, as I mentioned, there should be some kind

39:25of a, uh, impact, you know, like rating.

39:28You know, even you don't have a, uh, uh, penalty because the penalty means you have to prove and found

39:34guilty, then you have a penalty.

39:36But if there is actually rating, meaning there were so many complaints, uh, not resolved, so many not resolved, then

39:46there is a rating.

39:48So that will actually make the, the service providers to, uh, perform better.

39:56Um, others, uh, is actually, um, the consumers, you know, awareness, you know, many are actually so fond of using

40:07all this social media, including TikTok, which I, I, I, I cannot stand, you know.

40:13You know, I mean, it's just, I'm there because everybody is there, but I don't really fancy it.

40:20Like, when you just open it, it just comes, you know, without asking all kinds of things come, coming.

40:25I feel the same way.

40:27So, um, uh, but, uh, I mean, many are enjoying it, but.

40:34Doom scrolling, they call it.

40:36Uh, so, and again, it becomes an addiction, uh, which actually is not, not actually benefiting or enriching the user.

40:45So, uh, I mean, the, the, the, the, uh, leaders, the communities must actually advise, you know, we have lots

40:56of, um, campaigns, but if the leaders at the local level, I mean, in Gijikhaji Rianan, don't talk about it

41:06to, to, uh, you know, caution about the impact.

41:10Again, uh, many are using the devices as the babysitters for the babies, no, babies, uh, start being, I mean,

41:20babysit by the devices.

41:22And again, those are actually, um, impacts which, which will have very negative, uh, uh, result later.

41:33Again, no, even my choo-choo was asking, uh, my friends all got, uh, handphone, how come I cannot have,

41:42I mean, my choo-choo.

41:45So, again, their parents are very wary of the impact.

41:49So, they control, they share their device whenever they are home.

41:54But they don't give them a device, which is actually being practiced by advanced countries, you know.

41:59So, how come we are lagging behind in that, uh, um, I mean, uh, uh, standard, uh, I mean, advanced

42:09countries, you know, uh, would set a, uh, age limit, 14 and above.

42:15But we are still arguing over it.

42:19So, we have to mature into that, you know, understand the impact, you know, the negative impact.

42:26Uh, I mean, so, so, so, we focus on more beneficial, uh, activities, which actually prepare our young to be,

42:41uh, uh, I mean, prepared for any kind of this kind of, uh, you know, uh, scams.

42:49I mean, you know, I mean, simple thing, if someone says, oh, this offer only until midnight, I mean, many

42:58fall for it.

43:00I mean, do the, the company who's offering the midnight, uh, no offer, going to close shop tomorrow?

43:08I mean, but many fall for it, you know, offer only until tonight.

43:12Like, it creates what, what, what psychologists call this, the scarcity mindset.

43:17Yeah, manipulating our, our reaction.

43:21So, again, many think, oh, without a water filter, the water is not safe.

43:27I mean, every, it's actually a, a norm nowadays.

43:31I never use a water filter.

43:33Uh, but many don't hear the water we receive at home is, is certified safe by the Ministry of Health.

43:45But they never hear, hear that guarantee.

43:49But they hear, oh, water is not safe from the salesman.

43:54And they believe the salesman.

43:55So, these are the, uh, manipulations out there in the marketplace, which actually form the consumer's, uh, mindset.

44:05All right.

44:06Thank you, Mr. Shani.

44:08There's plenty, uh, but yeah, the TikTok thing, I do agree.

44:12Anyway, um, uh, this is a, scam is a huge topic.

44:16I'm sure there's a lot more that we can say about this.

44:18Um, if, if you're going to keep talking about it, we won't finish until tomorrow.

44:22But unfortunately, we only have, uh, one hour.

44:24But hopefully that's, uh, what we've talked about here today, uh, has given you, uh, our listeners enough to go

44:30on and to be careful.

44:32And, you know, as they say, jangan kena scam.

44:34So, thank you again, Mr. Shani, for coming all the way from Mentakab here today.

44:38Um, if you guys have any comment, uh, feel free to leave your comment in the comment section.

44:43I'll be happy to see what you have to say about this episode.

44:46Or any other, uh, past episodes.

44:48Uh, the Life and the City podcast can be viewed on our YouTube channel at The Star Online or www

44:55.thestar.com.my slash metro.

44:58See you guys again until the next episode.

45:00See you guys again.

S3EP9 – Living in the digital economy: Balancing convenience and consumer safety | Life & the City

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