KUCHING, Aug. 29 -- Members of the public have been advised to remain vigilant against individuals impersonating officials from the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programmes.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), in issuing the warning, said some criminal groups had resorted to using telephone numbers similar to official hotlines to contact members of the public and gain their trust before obtaining their personal and banking information.

"Some individuals are impersonating officials from the Ministry of Finance (MoF), claiming to represent the STR and Sara programmes, and contacting people using numbers similar to official phone numbers in an attempt to trick victims into providing personal information," said BNM i...