When Public Servants Become Targets: The Rise in Scams Targeting Officials

Public servants are increasingly being targeted by online scams. Criminals exploit their stable incomes, savings, and fear of public embarrassment, which often delays victims from reporting the crime.

Malaysia case – Civil Servant Loses RM404,000

On February 24th, a 39-year-old female civil servant in Sibu, Malaysia, reported to police that she had lost RM404,000 (103,965 US dollars) due to a online investment scam.

In October, she clicked a Facebook ad promising high returns. After joining a WhatsApp group, a woman posing as an "investment assistant" gained her trust by providing small, early profits and refunding 80% of a small loss.

The victim was then convinced to download an investment app and made 18 transfers to various bank accounts. The scam was discovered when she tried to withdraw funds and was asked to pay a 20% fee. She has not recovered her money.

China case – From Victim to Criminal

A similar case reported by China last year demonstrated how such scams can lead to crimes. Yang, an official at the Jianyang Finance Bureau, began losing money on a fake precious metals platform in 2013 after following advice from online "experts."

To recover his mounting losses, he took out loans and borrowed heavily, accumulating over 1.28 million RMB (187,023 US dollars) in debt. Between 2017 and 2019, he embezzled 6.35 million RMB (927,811 US dollars) in public funds to cover his investment losses.

The trading platform was fake. Yang surrendered in 2022 and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for corruption and fraud.

BrokersView Reminds You

These cases show a troubling truth: public servants are not just random victims—they are deliberately targeted. Without early education and safe ways to report scams, these crimes can turn personal losses into larger institutional problems.

Before investing, always verify a platform’s license on sites like BrokersView.

If you suspect you have encountered a fraudulent platform or are facing withdrawal obstacles, please preserve all chat logs and trading screenshots. You can promptly submit a complaint to BrokersView, and we will assist you in reporting the situation to the relevant regulatory authorities.