Pengaruh Pengetahuan Terhadap Persepsi Risiko Mule Account Dalam Kalangan Pengguna Bank Digital (The Influence of Knowledge on Mule Account Risk Perceptions among Digital Bank Users)

Abstract

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk meneliti tahap pengetahuan pemegang akaun terhadap risiko penglibatan dalam aktiviti mule account serta persepsi mereka terhadap kemungkinan menjadi mangsa jenayah kewangan siber Mule account merujuk kepada individu yang membenarkan akaun bank mereka digunakan bagi tujuan pemindahan wang secara tidak sah sama ada secara sedar ataupun tidak, dan sering kali dikaitkan dengan penipuan dalam talian dan jenayah siber. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk tinjauan secara kuantitatif dengan persampelan bertujuan, melibatkan pengumpulan data melalui borang soal selidik berstruktur dan analisis deskriptif. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan walaupun majoriti responden mempunyai pengetahuan umum yang tinggi tentang konsep asas mule account seperti definisi, risiko undang-undang dan bentuk tawaran mencurigakan, tahap pengetahuan terhadap aspek praktikal seperti saluran pelaporan rasmi, aplikasi keselamatan, dan nombor hotline bank masih sederhana rendah. Kekurangan ini menyumbang kepada kelemahan kesedaran risiko dan tindakan pencegahan, termasuk persepsi bahawa kemungkinan menjadi mangsa adalah rendah. Implikasi kajian menegaskan bahawa peningkatan literasi kewangan praktikal dan pendedahan terhadap saluran perlindungan rasmi adalah penting bagi membentuk kesedaran dan mencegah eksploitasi akaun bank oleh rangkaian jenayah siber. Justeru, institusi kewangan dan pihak berkuasa perlu memperkukuh pendidikan pengguna dengan menekankan aspek pencegahan dan kemudahan akses maklumat keselamatan bagi mengekang pertumbuhan mule account di Malaysia.

Abstract: This study aims to examine account holders’ level of knowledge regarding the risks of involvement in mule account activities, as well as their perception of the likelihood of becoming victims of financial cybercrime. A mule account refers to an individual who allows their bank account to be used for unauthorised money transfers, either knowingly or unknowingly. It is often linked to online fraud and cybercriminal networks. This study employed a quantitative survey design involving a purposively selected group of respondents. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that most respondents had a high level of general knowledge about mule accounts, including their definition, legal risks, and common forms of fraudulent offers. However, practical knowledge regarding official reporting channels, security applications, and bank hotline numbers was found to be moderately low. This gap in practical knowledge contributed to a lower awareness of personal risk and inadequate preventive actions among account holders. The study also found that individuals unaware of how to protect their accounts proactively were more likely to underestimate their risk of becoming victims. The findings highlight the importance of improving practical financial literacy and increasing public exposure to official protection channels to strengthen user awareness and prevent account exploitation by cybercriminals. The study recommends that financial institutions and relevant authorities enhance consumer education efforts by focusing on actionable preventive measures and improving access to official security information to curb the rise of mule accounts in Malaysia.

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