Should You Make a Police Report If Someone Owes You Money in Malaysia?
- Rudi Cheu
- Jul 5
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 17
As a debt recovery lawyer, I get asked this more often than a Malaysian says “on the way” when they haven’t even left the house.
When someone doesn’t pay their debt, the first reaction is almost always:
“Can I report them for fraud?”
“Isn’t this cheating?”
The short answer?
Not always. And usually, no.
Just because someone owes you money doesn’t automatically make it a police matter. It’s important to understand the difference between a criminal offence and a civil debt dispute.
Fraud vs Ordinary Debt – What’s the Difference?
Fraud / Cheating:There was dishonesty from the beginning. The person lied to get you to hand over money, with no genuine intention to pay you back. This can be a criminal offence under Malaysian law.
Ordinary Debt:You provided goods or services. They accepted them. Then they failed to pay. That’s not a crime — that’s a civil dispute, and it falls under contract law, not criminal law.
When Should You Make a Police Report?
You can make a police report for unpaid debt only if there’s clear evidence of fraud, such as:
Falsified documents
Fake identities
Misrepresentation with criminal intent
But if the debtor just disappeared or stopped responding after taking your goods or services, that’s not cheating — that’s a matter for a lawyer, not the police.
TL;DR: Not All Debts Are Criminal
No payment ≠ Fraud
Not all bad debts are crimes
If you want your money back, your best bet is to speak to an experienced debt recovery lawyer — not the sarjan at the balai
Speak to Rule & Co for a free debt recovery assessment
Rule & Co is a Malaysian law firm with nearly a decade of experience focusing on practical and cost-effective solutions for debt recovery and commercial disputes. If you are currently facing difficulties in dealing with debt collection, we would love to know how we can help.
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