Hong Kong seller loses HK$1 million in fake link scam
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A 67-year-old man was cheated out of more than HK$1 million after trying to sell a second-hand fish tank for HK$500 on social media. The scammer posed as an interested buyer and sent a fake bank link, claiming the seller had to complete “account verification” before receiving payment. After the victim entered his bank details and login password on a bogus online banking page, he later found two suspicious transfers in his account. Police said they received more than 100 payment-link scam reports in the past week, involving losses of more than HK$14 million.
Key Points
- The victim, a 67-year-old man, had listed a used fish tank for HK$500 on a social media platform before being approached by the fraudster.
- The scammer pretended to be a buyer and sent a fake bank hyperlink, saying “account verification” was required before payment could be received.
- After clicking the link, the man was redirected to a counterfeit online banking login page and entered his banking information and password.
- When the screen showed that verification had succeeded, he mistakenly believed payment had gone through, but had actually surrendered his account credentials.
- He later discovered two suspicious transfer transactions in his online banking account, and more than HK$1 million had been moved out.
Why It Matters
The case shows how low-value online sales can be used to lure victims into handing over full banking credentials, turning a HK$500 transaction into a seven-figure loss. With police recording more than 100 payment-link scams and over HK$14 million in losses in just one week, the warning has immediate relevance for anyone buying or selling through social platforms in Hong Kong.