Malaysian tourist arrested over Hong Kong phone scam cash pickups
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police have arrested a 36-year-old Malaysian man suspected of collecting cash in two “guess who I am” phone scams in Ngau Chi Wan, after two elderly victims were cheated out of HK$80,000 in total. Police said the suspect claimed he came to Hong Kong as a tourist and was allegedly lured into the crime with promises of “high pay” and “low risk.”
Key Points
- Police received reports on August 18 from an 89-year-old woman and a 67-year-old retired man, both of whom said a stranger had called pretending to be a relative.
- The caller claimed to be facing an urgent situation and a criminal case, and asked the victims to provide HK$30,000 and HK$50,000 in cash as bail money.
- At about 4pm that day, the victims separately handed over the cash on On Ting Road and Wing Ting Road in Ngau Chi Wan to a man posing as a relative’s friend.
- After confirming their relatives were safe, the victims realised they had been deceived and reported the cases to police for help.
- Wong Tai Sin district officers reviewed extensive CCTV footage, including through the Sharp Eye scheme, and arrested the 36-year-old suspect on August 24 for obtaining property by deception.
- Police said the suspect is being detained for investigation and will be formally charged, while officers are examining whether he was involved in other similar cases and whether more arrests may follow.
Why It Matters
The case shows that the long-running “guess who I am” scam still works by creating panic and urgency, especially when fraudsters target older people with fake family emergencies.
Police urged residents to stay calm, verify any such claim directly with relatives, never hand money to strangers, and call the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222 if they suspect fraud.