Woman Loses HK$68.94 Million in Impersonation Scam
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 8 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A 43-year-old woman has fallen victim to a major phone scam in Hong Kong, losing about HK$68.94 million within a month after callers claimed to be mainland enforcement officials . The fraudsters alleged she was implicated in a criminal offence and demanded money as a guarantee to clear her name . Police received her report on Wednesday after she realized she might have been deceived, and the case is now under investigation .
Key Points
- The victim, a 43-year-old woman, said she received calls from people claiming to be mainland law enforcement officers investigating a criminal case .
- The callers allegedly told her she had committed or was linked to a criminal offence and had to pay a guarantee to prove innocence .
- Following the scammers’ instructions, she transferred about HK$68.94 million to designated bank accounts from July 2 to August 1 .
- She later grew suspicious and reported the case to law enforcement on Wednesday, triggering an initial fraud investigation .
- The case has been classified as obtaining property by deception, and no one had been arrested at the time of the report .
Why It Matters
The case highlights the continued threat of impersonation scams involving fake mainland officials and the enormous losses victims can suffer in a short period . It also underscores police warnings that obtaining property by deception is a serious offence carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment upon conviction .