One Cent Thief

Iman Shah is a young banker squeezed by his father's mounting medical bills, so he comes up with a meticulous plan to skim one cent from every customer's account. The show follows his slow, tense rollout of the scheme as he balances daily bank work, the technical execution of micro-thefts, and the small, escalating moral compromises that follow. People around him, including family members and colleagues, start to sense something off, and what begins as an arithmetic trick turns into a high-stakes test of loyalty, identity, and the limits of desperation. The series keeps the focus tight on Iman, his choices, and the ripple effects those choices have on a community that trusts its financial institutions.

Created by Alfie Palermo and released in 2022, One Cent Thief stars Syafiq Kyle as Iman Shah, with Faizal Hussein, Azira Shafinaz, Fabian Loo, and Sofia Jane rounding out the main cast. Production details like directors and network vary by region, but the series is recognized for modest, focused storytelling and regional casting.

There are no widely reported international awards tied to this series, and it didn't register major Oscar, Emmy, or Golden Globe nominations. Any festival showings or local recognitions aren't broadly documented in international databases, which suggests its reception was more regional than global.

Viewers and online conversation tended to react to the premise and the lead performance, with average viewer scores sitting around the midrange. Critics and audiences noted the show's moral ambiguity, slow-burn pacing, and attention to the small technical details of fraud. Themes include economic pressure, accountability in institutions, personal responsibility, and how minor decisions can have outsized consequences.

While not a mainstream hit, One Cent Thief sparked discussion about digital banking vulnerabilities and the human cost of medical debt in its home market. It prompted social media debates about ethics and practical jokes turned serious, and it found an audience among viewers interested in crime drama that focuses on the everyday mechanics behind illicit schemes.