What is Bank Negara Malaysia's Financial Consumer Alert List?

What the list is

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) keeps a Financial Consumer Alert List, often called the FCA list. It names companies and websites that are neither authorised nor approved under the laws and regulations that BNM administers.

BNM describes the list as a guide to improve public awareness of entities or schemes. It is updated from reports made by the public, after BNM has assessed the entity or scheme reported.

The current list is published at bnm.gov.my/fca. BNM updates it regularly, so the online version is the one to check. For example, an update on 3 August 2026 added 40 entities to the list.

What it does and does not tell you

If a name is on the list, BNM has found that it is not authorised or approved under the laws BNM administers. It is a warning to take note of before you deal with that company or website.

The list is not exhaustive. BNM says it only serves as a guide for the public. A company that is not on the list has not been confirmed as licensed.

BNM also says the list should not be read as confirmation that any entity or scheme is, or has been, licensed or regulated by BNM.

Some entries carry the label "potential clone entity". This flags a party that may be using the name or details of a genuine firm. If a company shares a known firm's name, confirm that you are dealing with the genuine firm and its official website.

How to check a company yourself

Search the company or website name on the FCA list at bnm.gov.my/fca.

For banks, insurers and other institutions that BNM licenses or approves, check BNM's Financial Sector Participants Directory on bnm.gov.my. BNM notes that an entity missing from this directory does not necessarily fall under its purview, because other regulators cover other activities.

For investments such as shares, unit trusts and derivatives, check sc.com.my/investment-checker. The SC Investment Checker shows whether a person or company is licensed or registered with the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), and it flags names on the SC Investor Alert List.

SmartChecker also shows register records and reviews for the companies it lists, with links back to the official sources.

If you are unsure, contact BNMLINK on 1-300-88-5465 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or use the e-LINK form at bnmlink.bnm.gov.my. If you have already lost money to an illegal scheme, BNM advises calling your bank's hotline or the NSRC hotline at 997 straight away, and lodging a police report.

Common questions

Is the FCA list the same as the SC Investor Alert List? No. BNM keeps the FCA list for activities under the laws it administers, while the SC keeps the Investor Alert List for the capital market. It is worth checking both.

If a company is not on the FCA list, is it licensed? Not necessarily. The list is not exhaustive, so a missing name proves nothing. Check the company's licence with the relevant regulator.

Where can I find the list? It is published at bnm.gov.my/fca and updated regularly.

What does "potential clone entity" mean? It flags a party that may be copying the name or details of a genuine firm, so confirm you are dealing with the real firm.