HKUST student loses HK$1.11 million in official scam
SingTao · 4 SOURCES39 minutes ago2 MIN
Summary
A 19-year-old mainland Chinese student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology reported to police at 1.07am on Sunday after losing HK$1.11 million in a phone scam. The fraudsters allegedly posed as Immigration Department officers or government officials, accused her of being linked to a money-laundering case in mainland China, and demanded the money as a “guarantee” or “security deposit”. The student later suspected fraud after seeing similar scam tactics discussed on TikTok or other mainland social platforms, and called police from an HKUST student hostel on University Road in Sai Kung. Police have classified the case as obtaining property by deception, while broader police data show mainland students remain a frequent target of impersonation scams in Hong Kong.
Key Points
- Police said the report came from a 19-year-old mainland woman studying at HKUST, who contacted officers at 1.07am on Sunday from a student hostel.
- The caller claimed to be an Immigration Department officer and said she was involved in a mainland money-laundering case, demanding HK$1.11 million as a guarantee.
- The scammers also told her they would monitor her through a webcam, including during the remittance process, adding pressure to follow instructions.
- Following those instructions, she told family members she needed money for a school exchange activity, obtained the funds, and transferred them to the suspects.
- SCMP cited police figures showing 42 mainland students were cheated by fake-authority scams in the first quarter, with average losses of HK$690,000
Why It Matters
The case adds to evidence that impersonation scams aimed at mainland students can involve large transfers arranged through family members before victims realise anything is wrong. Police said universities, including HKUST, have already required anti-scam training for new students, underscoring how campuses have become a key front in prevention work