HKUST freshman scam stopped after late-night police alert
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A mainland Chinese freshman in the engineering faculty at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was drawn into an alleged “official impersonation” scam less than a day after arriving in Hong Kong. He recognised the warning signs after attending a police anti-fraud orientation session on August 29 and contacted officers through the East Kowloon Regional Crime Prevention Office’s “Hong Kong Drifter Reporting Room” WeChat group late that night, allowing police to stop the case before any payment was made
Key Points
- The caller first claimed to be from Hong Kong Immigration, then transferred the student to a fake mainland public security officer who accused him of involvement in a serious money-laundering case
- Scammers sent forged arrest and secrecy documents through an encrypted messaging app, ordered 24-hour video monitoring, and told him not to contact family, friends or Hong Kong police
- The fraudsters also instructed the student to buy a new mobile phone and SIM card, but police intervention cut off contact before any transfer was completed
- Police later arranged a discussion with a clinical psychologist from the Police Psychological Services Group, who said the scam relied on authority pressure, isolation, overconfidence and decision fatigue
- Police data show 244 phone scam cases involving tertiary students or above were recorded in the first half of the year, with losses of HK$76 million, while 344 fraud cases involving mainland students in Hong Kong exceeded HK$75 million
Why It Matters
The case shows how quickly newly arrived non-local students can be targeted and why immediate, trusted reporting channels matter when scammers try to isolate victims. East Kowloon police say they will deepen cooperation with universities, while existing campus talks, dormitory outreach and the 24-hour WeChat support group are being used to intercept more cases before money is lost.