SERI ISKANDAR, May 5 — A total of 61 cases of online fraud involving university students in Perak were recorded from January to April this year with losses totalling RM303,372.36.

Perak police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said the types of fraud included phone calls, e-commerce, investments and loans.

“If previously this group was viewed as less exposed, the data we have obtained shows that university students are currently the main group targeted by criminals,” he said at a media conference after officiating the launch of ‘Module On The Current Trends of Commercial Crimes’ at Universiti Teknologi Petronas’s (UTP) Chancellor’s Hall here today.

He also stressed that all parties need to view such frauds seriously as it did could target anyone, regardless of background and status.

On today’s programme, Noor Hisam said it was a partnership between the Perak police and UTP aimed to improve public awareness on commercial crime, especially among university students.

The module launched is focused on commercial crime’s current trends that have been developing in line with digital technology advancement, and requires more proactive approaches in terms of prevention.

“Such programmes can hopefully make students more aware of fraud tactics and they can be agents to deliver information to friends and their respective communities,” he added. — Bernama