NSRC 997 Scam Hotline: What Happens When You Call

You opened your banking app and saw a transfer you did not make. Or you paid a "seller", a "courier" or a "bank officer" and only realised afterwards that it was a scam. Someone told you to call 997, and now you want to know what that call actually does.

The short version: call 997 or your bank's 24-hour hotline now, because speed is what gives the NSRC a chance to block the money. Then make a police report at a station within 24 hours. The call is a first response, not a refund desk.

This guide explains what the National Scam Response Centre is for, what happens during and after the call, what to have in front of you, what to do if the line does not connect, and which situations belong somewhere else.

Last checked: 5 October 2026.

#What Happens When You Call 997?

You tell the NSRC what happened, give your personal and bank details, and describe the transfers: which accounts received the money, how much and when. According to the NFCC's NSRC page, the NSRC then coordinates law enforcement, financial institutions and telcos to stop further losses, try to trace the stolen funds, investigate and take enforcement action. It says the NSRC will try to block the stolen funds immediately once you report. Your next step is a police report at the nearest station within 24 hours. NFCC is plain that quick action can reduce losses but there is no guarantee you will get your money back.

#What the NSRC Is, and Who It Is For

The NSRC was set up in October 2022 as an operations centre for a rapid response to online financial fraud. NFCC describes it as a joint effort of the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NFCC), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), banks and the telecommunications industry.

Its focus is narrow on purpose. NFCC says the line is for two kinds of case: money moved out of your bank account without your knowledge, and money you were tricked into transferring through an online financial service. It names phishing, Macau scams and malware attacks as examples. In both cases the key word is "just": 997 is an emergency response number for people who have only now realised the money is gone.

#Should You Call 997? Situations Compared

Many people call 997 for problems it was never built for, which wastes time they could spend on the right channel. Use this table to check where your situation belongs.

#What to Have Ready Before You Call

Do not wait to gather everything before calling. Speed matters more than a perfect file. But if the details are in front of you, the call goes faster and the information is more useful. NFCC lists what you need when you report to your bank, 997 or a police station:

• A short chronology: what happened, in order, with dates and times.
• Your details: name, phone number, MyKad number and bank account number.
• The scammer's details as you know them: the name they used, their phone number, and when you dealt with them.
• Each transaction: the receiving bank account number, the amount and the time of the transfer.
• Transaction receipts, including CDM slips if you deposited cash.
• Any website link (URL) the scammer sent you.
• Your communication with them: call logs, emails, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, marketplace chats or other apps.

NFCC adds that you should be ready to give PDRM evidence such as screenshots of conversations, Facebook pages, websites and links. Take screenshots now, before the scammer deletes the chat or the profile. A tip that saves time: keep a note on your phone with the receiving account numbers and amounts typed out, so you are not switching between apps while you are on the line.

#What Happens After the Call

The call starts the response. The rest depends on what you do in the next day, and on where the money has already gone.

1. The NSRC coordinates the response. NFCC says it works with law enforcement, banks and telcos to stop further loss, try to trace the funds, investigate and take action against the criminals.
2. You make a police report at a station within 24 hours. NFCC says that without a police report, the police cannot carry out follow-up action. Contact your bank or 997 first, then go to the station.
3. You receive the police report and are referred to an investigating officer. That officer may contact you for more information.
4. You follow up through the police, not 997. Contact the investigating officer on your case, or the commercial crime office (JSJK) at your district police headquarters.

Go to a station in person for a scam. PDRM's e-Reporting system says it is meant for lost documents or items and matters that do not involve a crime, so it is not the route for fraud. PDRM's public FAQ says a fraud report can be made at any police station, and suggests bringing receipts, bank statements, the receiving account number, phone numbers, chat screenshots, website links, email addresses, social media usernames and adverts. Our checklist on what to bring to the police station helps you prepare the statement itself.

To check progress yourself, PDRM's Sistem Semakan Online lets you log in and choose "Status Repot". Its FAQ says you enter the police report number, and that you can only check reports registered under your own MyKad number.

#Can 997 Freeze or Recover Your Money?

It can try to block it, and that is why speed matters so much. NFCC says the NSRC will try to block the stolen funds immediately after your report. Nobody can promise more than that.

PDRM's FAQ explains what decides the outcome: when the report was made, whether the money is still in the receiving account, whether it has moved on to other accounts, whether it was frozen, and what the investigation finds. It says there is no guarantee that all transferred money can be recovered. NFCC adds that if the fraud happened some time ago, for example more than 24 hours earlier, the chance of getting money back is slim, but you should still report it to your bank so the authorities can act against the criminals.

NFCC does not give a waiting time for any money that is returned, and neither should anyone else. If someone promises your money back, or tells you exactly how many days it will take, be suspicious.

#997 Not Answering? What to Do Instead

Call your own bank's 24-hour hotline straight away. NFCC's FAQ gives this exact advice for when you cannot reach 997, and gives the same answer for a suspicious transaction noticed in the middle of the night.

• Find the hotline on the back of your bank card or on your bank's official website, which is where NFCC says to look.
• Do not search for "bank hotline" and call the first number in an advert. Use the card or the bank's own site.
• Ask the bank to act on the transfer and note the time of your call and any reference number they give.
• Then make the police report within 24 hours, as you would after calling 997.

Official government pages do not agree on the operating hours for 997, so we do not quote them here. Check the NFCC's NSRC page for current details, and never let uncertainty about the hours delay a call to your bank.

#Calls and Messages That Pretend to Be NSRC

Scammers know victims have just heard the name NSRC, so they use it. NFCC says the NSRC, PDRM, MCMC, BNM and banks will only contact you if you have already reported a fraud to them, and will never ask for your username, password, PIN, TAC or OTP.

• A caller who says your money is frozen and can be "released" for a processing fee, tax or deposit is a scammer.
• PDRM's FAQ warns about anyone who tells you to move money into an account for an investigation, account safety or verification, and says to verify such instructions through official channels.
• Someone who contacts you first, through a comment, advert or personal WhatsApp, offering to recover your money, is not from the NSRC.
• If you are unsure, hang up and call your bank using the number on your card, or contact your investigating officer.

#What 997 Cannot Do for a Hacked Social Media Account

997 handles money, not accounts. The NSRC cannot unlock your Instagram, reset your Facebook password or reverse a TikTok ban. Only the platform can restore an account, through its own recovery process, and some accounts are never restored.

Hacked accounts and money often arrive together, though. If a hacker used your account to ask friends for money, the friend who paid is the one who calls their bank or 997, and you both make police reports. Our guide on friends scammed from your hacked account splits up who does what, and where to report a hacked account in Malaysia covers the platform, police and agency routes.

#Mistakes That Cost Time After a Scam

• Waiting until the next day to call because you feel embarrassed. The first hours are when blocking the money is most likely.
• Calling 997 and never making the police report. NFCC says the police cannot follow up without it.
• Calling 997 again and again for an update instead of contacting the investigating officer.
• Deleting the chat or blocking the scammer before taking screenshots.
• Trusting a "bank officer" or "NSRC officer" who calls you first and asks for a code.
• Paying anyone who promises to recover the money for a fee.

#When a Case Review Makes Sense

The money side of a scam belongs with your bank, the NSRC and the police, and everything above can be done without paying anyone. Where outside help can be useful is the account side: when the scam started with a hacked email or social media account, when you are not sure the scammer is fully locked out, or when the platform's recovery steps are going nowhere. SocialSafe by AwareXone reviews the case first, works only through each platform's official processes, never asks for passwords, login codes or backup codes, and tells you honestly if there is nothing more an outside party can do. The platform always makes the final decision. You can read how our account security work runs, and our Trust Center sets out what we will never ask for.

#Frequently Asked Questions