Hong Kong man loses HK$3 million in fake refund scam
HK01 · 3 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A Hong Kong man has lost more than HK$3 million after being drawn into a fake customer-service and refund scam linked to a supposed logistics company. The fraud began with a phone call claiming a parcel had been sent by mistake, followed by a small HK$35 compensation payment that helped convince the victim the process was genuine.
Key Points
- Police said the local male victim recently received a call from a supposed logistics company employee speaking fluent Cantonese, claiming a parcel had been wrongly sent and asking him to continue on WhatsApp for a refund arrangement.
- During a WhatsApp video call, the fake customer-service agent instructed him to enable screen sharing and provide a payment collection QR code, after which he received HK$35 as compensation.
- The scammers then claimed the remaining refund had to be paid through insurance, sent an unknown link, and directed him to a fake website where he entered personal information and received a forged compensation approval document.
- Because the victim was unfamiliar with online banking, the fake agent guided him to add a designated account as a payee, increase the transfer amount, and enter a six-digit number described as a verification code into the transfer amount field.
- After following those instructions, the man ultimately lost more than HK$3 million, according to a warning posted by police on the CyberDefender Facebook page on Saturday, September 26.
Why It Matters
The case shows how scammers can use a small real payment, screen sharing and step-by-step coaching to make a fake refund process appear credible, especially to people less familiar with digital banking. Police urged the public not to trust unsolicited “wrong delivery” or “refund” claims, not to share phone or computer screens with third parties, and to call the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222 or use the Scameter tools if in doubt.